SHIFT Magazine – Veteran Owned Non Profit Goes Viral After Nearly Shutting Down Due to Covid


“In the end this place is more important than me. One day I’m gonna leave, but this place can continue on because of what it does. The mission can keep going.” – John Valentine, Army Veteran, Father of Four and CEO of Operation Phantom Support.

John Valentine, Army Veteran, CEO and Founder of the non-profit Operation Phantom Support believes in supporting military families. The entire mission of the non-profit is to assist Soldiers, Veterans, 1st Responders, and their families who are in need. Often families of deployed service members rely on the additional support offered through this organization.

Covid hit the non-profit hard as their donations decreased significantly, leaving them with a deficit of $7,000 per month. They have reached out to their community and businesses for additional support. A local news station covered the story and it was featured on CBS, Yahoo, MSN, and several local outlets, making their mission known on a broader scale.

Operation Phantom Support was started in 2014 in order to support the Active Duty Members, Honorable Veterans, First Responders, and their Families. With continuing support, they have been able to grow and expand their reach each year.

24% of Veterans and 27% of Active Duty Military indicated that they wanted resources and knew how to access Food and Nutrition programs in a poll conducted by the Institute of Veteran and Military Families in 2020. According to the Center and Budget of Policy Priorities, 97,000 Veterans in the state of Texas are recipients of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits. A 2016 report from the Government Accountability Office indicated that more than 23,000 active-duty troops used the food stamp program in 2013, which is the last year for which such information was available.

To find out more about Operation Phantom Support, reach out to John Valentine at

http://www.phantomsupport.org.

John Valentine is a leader in his community, ensuring that families get the support they need through the food pantry and numerous other programs designed to support the families of Active Duty, Veterans and First Responders. He served 21 years in the U.S. Army and continues to serve his community.

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