A Community Member in Need

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Mitch [MGT], Aug 2, 2016.

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  1. Mitch [MGT]

    Mitch [MGT] Avatar

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    Hail all,

    My name is Mitch Hamilton and I've been around since the early days of our Kickstarter campaign. I've been quite active in the chatroom and I helped coax new information out of the Devs in the early stages of our website through my weekly Q&A threads. I love this community and I've never been this involved in the "whole process" before as a player.

    I wouldn't have had the ability to be as involved as I would have liked to be if it wasn't for a community member that I'd like to recognize. Robert Klebes, who you might know as Spork Witch, is the reason I have access to Dev+, the reason I've been able to be so helpful to the community. Without his assistance in taking me from a Royal Ancestor to a Edelmann (giving me Dev+ access in the process) I wouldn't have been able to stay as engaged and informed. Robert didn't know me from Job, I was just a name on the screen in the chatroom when he offered to fund my pledge and in return he'd gain access to a nice house deed. He knew how important Dev+ access was to me as an aspiring game developer and took a chance.

    Robert has fallen on hard times, he's a war vet of the United States Air Force. He fought bravely for his country in Operation Enduring Freedom and has struggled to find work and a place to live since his honorable discharge from the military. The clock is ticking on him losing his home, his belongings and his ability to stay in contact with his friends, family and fellow players.

    I don't know how best to help him, I could start a GoFundMe page but I don't think the situation is money, I think it's resources. Robert lives in Rochester, NY and I'm asking ANYONE who knows a friend or a friend of a friend in that area to reach out to me and help us as a community find this war vet a place to live and a job to sustain him so that he may join us once again in game. He has attended RIT, Rochester Institute of Technology for the past 3 years where he studied Computing Security, and wishes to continue his studies going forward, something we can all agree is quite important in this day and age.

    Brothers and Sisters of New Britannia, lend me your hearts and take a chance on a man that took a chance on me. Share this with your social networks and I think that with the power of the internet we can make great things happen for Robert.
     
  2. MagiK

    MagiK Avatar

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    You should contact some of the organizations to help people in his position, if he was wounded then Wounded Warriors might be able to help. The VA also may be able to help though they are run very very poorly, VFW is another source, and the American Legion...those are the ones IO know off the top of my head.
     
  3. enderandrew

    enderandrew Legend of the Hearth

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    The VFW might be a good resource as well and they tend to have chapters everywhere. There is a job site just for government jobs, and they tend to favor people with military experience.

    Wish I could do more!

    https://www.usajobs.gov/
     
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  4. Kaegyn

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    I was in a similar situation. Same age, ex-Army with over 2 years overseas for OIF going through a hard time after service.

    What people are saying about the VA system is true. It took me years to get some of my disability paperwork processed. My advise there is that he works closely with VA advocates to help process this if he's trying to do so.

    Regarding housing, the homeless vet programs vary by state. He should call the local VA hospital or search the web for information on that.

    He should also be entitled to other benefits (such as the Post-9/11 GI bill) that he can use for housing allowance.

    If he or you have any questions feel free to PM me.

    Good luck.
     
    Last edited: Aug 2, 2016
  5. WrathPhoenix

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    PM me in the forums if you would. I am willing to take a look and see who I can pass his resume to at my company. I also would gladly partake and share in any gofundme you put up. I have a pretty good social media reach.
     
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  6. Mitch [MGT]

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    He's having some issues logging on to the forums. @WrathPhoenix can you PM me your email address and I'll forward it on to him.

    THANKS!
     
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  7. Audacity

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    I don't live in NY so not much help there. But I did design professional resumes for a living for a while before I got out of HR. I'd be happy to donate my services in designing something really eye catching to help him get noticed. Feel free to pm me if interested and I'll give you my contact info.

    Thank you for your compassion and please pass along my gratitude to Robert for his service.
     
  8. Spork Witch

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    Naw, it was the chat I was having trouble with.

    Thanks everyone for the sentiments and advice. I have been in intermittent contact with the VA and others in the area. One of the main problems with their offerings is that either the jobs they try to place you in require transportation (all the programs like Helmets-to-Hardhats and such require a car), or it's a one-off thing, like you just need some money for an unexpected bill.

    Like Mitch mentioned, I'm not really looking for money; all money would do is stave off the inevitable (though it'd keep the phone going a bit longer, and mean that much more time before all of my possessions are auctioned off by the storage company). I'm looking for and to work. A few bucks isn't going to keep me fed or help me find an apartment, at the end of the day, I need decent work, so that I can get a new apartment, and try to actually squirrel something away so I can look for better (unless it's actually a decent gig, then hey).

    I applied to Monroe Community College today (after 3 years at RIT, even though my grades fell at the end, I doubt they'd turn me away when applying for a 1-year cert program and I have 1 year of post-9/11 GI Bill left), though that's kind of a last ditch. In a way it's wasting the last of my benefits, for a certificate from a community college, but it would at least mean I'd have the housing stipend by around October (though that doesn't do anything about finding someplace to live for this month or next.)

    If anyone knows anyone in the Rochester, NY area, I'm pretty much open to anything, up to and including some kind of work/trade deal for a couch and a roof, heh...

    https://klebes.info/
    https://klebes.info/resume.pdf
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/klebes
    http://www.upwork.com/o/profiles/users/_~015fcaf707cc62bbb3/
     
  9. Spork Witch

    Spork Witch Avatar

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    That would actually be a massive help. I don't have a design bone in my body, I'm pretty much limited to basic grid stuff, and these days usually using those tools to convert your linkedin profile, heh.
     
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  10. enderandrew

    enderandrew Legend of the Hearth

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    Let me friend you on LinkedIn and endorse you. I can't do much else from Nebraska.
     
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  11. Mitch [MGT]

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    This is excellent everyone! Keep the support goin!
     
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  12. Spork Witch

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    So I had to turn my keys in on friday. Luckily one of the roommates renewed his lease and is letting me use the couch for now. Still working with the VA on something a little more permanent. I applied to a local community college and was accepted, so just have to get that sorted, and figure out how to make it through to October. Classes start at the end of August, so I'll have my Post 9/11 housing stipend starting a month later.

    Thank you everyone for the sentiments, and the help that's been offered; it means a lot to me. I'll try to keep things updated as I'm able, but my phone service ends in a couple days, so not sure how much I'll be able to get online once I have to leave the couch here.
     
    Last edited: Aug 7, 2016
  13. Ronan

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    Spork...public library or the community college library (if they have one) should have internet and desktops for your use.
     
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  14. Spork Witch

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    Should, just a question of reliability of access.
     
  15. Asytra

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    Sent you a PM (Conversation?) Spork Witch regarding some opportunities in Rochester. :)
     
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  16. Spork Witch

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    Just replied :)
     
  17. Spork Witch

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  18. Spork Witch

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    So I set up a gofundme, as much as I'm loathe to ask for something as crass as money, people here suggested it, and there are some things money will at least help with, while I wait for my benefits to kick back in come October. If you want to give something, you can, but no one feel obligated. If you do choose to kick something in, I'd certainly be grateful, and if there's anything I can use my skills for to help out and somehow repay the favor, don't hesitate to ask; I'd much rather earn my money than get a hand-out.

    https://gofundme.com/klebes
     
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  19. Mitch [MGT]

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    Over $100 raised in the GoFundMe, let's keep up the support!
     
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  20. Nhili Dragon

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    Do the CC still have work study programs like they used to ?
     
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