GI Go Fund Provides Bicycles to Two Veterans in Newark to Support Work, Medical Appointments, and Daily Transportation
Navy Veteran Kevin L. Jackson and Army Veteran Jerome Brown received donated bicycles at GI Go Fund’s Newark office as they work with Soldier On toward greater housing stability and independence.
NEWARK, NJ — GI Go Fund recently provided bicycles to two veterans in Newark who needed reliable transportation to get to work, attend medical appointments, and manage the everyday responsibilities that come with rebuilding stability and independence.
Navy Veteran Kevin L. Jackson, who just secured housing in Fairview in Bergen County, and Army Veteran Jerome Brown, who is currently searching for permanent housing, each received a bicycle at GI Go Fund’s Newark office.
For veterans experiencing housing instability, transportation can become a significant barrier to moving forward. Something as simple as getting to work consistently, attending a medical appointment, meeting with a case manager, or reaching essential services can be difficult without dependable transportation.
The bicycles provide Jackson and Brown with a practical way to get around their communities while continuing to work toward greater stability.
“Transportation is one of those basic needs that can affect almost every other part of someone’s life,” said Joseph Bongon, GI Go Fund Veterans Assistance Manager. “Being able to get to work, make an appointment, or take care of everyday responsibilities can make a real difference for a veteran who is working toward stable housing and greater independence.”
The donations are another example of the longstanding partnership between GI Go Fund and Soldier On, which has helped veterans address barriers related to housing, employment, transportation, benefits, and other essential needs.
Through Soldier On’s Supportive Services for Veteran Families program and GI Go Fund’s veteran support services, the organizations work together to help veterans overcome immediate challenges while building a path toward long-term stability.
The two recent bicycle donations also continue an effort highlighted earlier this year, when GI Go Fund helped connect U.S. Army Veteran Stephen Greeley with a donated bicycle to provide transportation to work and other daily needs.
For Jackson and Brown, the bicycles represent something simple but important: the ability to keep moving forward.
Whether that means getting to a job, attending a medical appointment, meeting with someone helping them secure housing, or simply having the freedom to travel around the community, reliable transportation can be an important step toward independence.
GI Go Fund will continue working alongside Soldier On and other community partners to identify practical ways to help veterans overcome the barriers standing between them and long-term stability.