ARM Industry Gives Iraq Veteran Hot Water, Way to Work

Christopher Baker came to ARMing Heroes for help late in 2010 in response to the organization’s call for applicants for its “No Debts for Vets” grant-making program.  A member of the U.S. Army from 2000 through 2007, Chris served his country in multiple locations during that time, including two tours of duty in Iraq.

During an online search for potential sources of financial relief for veterans, he came across the ARMing Heroes website.  When he applied for the grant, Chris stated, “I’m renting a room from my uncle, and things are falling apart.  I’m taking a shower with a bucket because we can’t afford to fix the hot water heater. The window in my car is broken as well, and I foresee this being a problem.  I also had [other] repairs that I’m slowly paying off.”

Chris Baker’s timing was perfect.  When he contacted ARMing Heroes, the organization had recently concluded its First Annual Veterans Day Charity Fundraising Drive (“the Drive”).  As a result of the drive, the credit and collection industry raised more than $11,000 in only a ten-week period starting on September 11th and concluding on Veterans Day, November 11th.

Chris was one of the program’s inaugural grant recipients (along with Stephen “Corey” Davis, whose story was published in April).

He received thousands of dollars of assistance in the form of direct payments made to a local plumber, who pitched in by installing a hot water heater at a steep discount, and to his mechanic, who fixed a number of problem items related to his vehicle.  Other funds were applied to a credit card to bring down the balance substantially.  Overnight, Chris went from not having hot water or a reliable car to having both of these problems solved, thanks to ARMing Heroes donors.

Chris recently took the time to thank the accounts receivable management industry.  In a recent email ARMing Heroes received, he said:

Chris Baker

“ARMing Heroes helped me out of a pretty tough spot this past holiday season. Like a lot of other vets I know, I didn’t quite understand how to handle finances coming out of the military. This winter my car was close to broken down, my pipes were about to freeze because of a broken water heater, and I didn’t have the disposable income to address either due to debt. Thanks to a grant from this outstanding organization, I was able to get back on track. I’m now well on my way to place where I can hopefully pay it forward. This organization really did make all the difference in the world for me, and I hope that they will continue to be able to do the same for other vets for a long time to come.”

ARMing Heroes was founded and began operating in March, 2009.  The organization’s mission is to serve the needs of U.S. military veterans, including their spouse and children. ARMing Heroes fills a charitable niche by linking people identified with employment, credit, and financial counseling needs with the accounts receivable management industry, an industry uniquely poised to help in these areas.  Persons interested in volunteering their time and others interested in applying for benefits or pledging other forms of support are encouraged to contact the organization at www.armingheroes.org.

What Can I Do Right Now to Help?

• Visit www.armingheroes.org and join our One for a Warrior Program, sign up to help in other ways, or donate now.
• Friend us and post this article to your page on Facebook.
• Tweet about this article on Twitter.
• Join our group on LinkedIn, the ARMing Heroes Veterans Charity Supporter / Assistance Center.
• Comment on this article online and ask us to contact you.
• Forward this article via email to your key contacts.
• Print this article and fax it to your local congressional office and ask them to post our website on theirs as a resource for vets.