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One Tallahassee neighbor works to help homeless military veterans after walking in their shoes

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  • Felicia Brown founded Bo Johnson Girls Military Consulting. It has a non-profit arm called BJG Missions.
  • There are over 500 military veterans living in my Southwest Tallahassee neighborhood.
  • Watch the video above to hear how Brown helps veterans hrough major issues after their service.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT

Veteranaffairs.org says there are 40,000 sheltered and unsheltered homeless veterans in the U.S.

I'm Terry Gilliam your southwest Tallahassee neighborhood reporter.

Now, one neighbor in Tallahassee is helping veterans find their home

Demetrius Kenon Jr. walks into his Tallahassee home. He's a military veteran who served three years.

But it hasn't always been this way for him.

"It was very humbling."

For two months, Kenon was a homeless veteran, living in a shelter.

I asked him how he feels knowing other military veterans are currently in that situation.

"It's very heartbreaking!"

There are over 575 military veterans living in my Southwest Tallahassee neighborhood.

But so many veterans across the U.S., enter back into society without a place to call home.

So one neighbor and her non-profit are working to help with that issue.

"I've been seeing veterans who are Vietnam vets, veterans who were in the Korean War, WW2, and veterans who just got out two weeks ago."

Felicia Brown founded Bo Johnson Girls Military Consulting. It has a non-profit arm called BJG Missions.

Brown is also a formerly homeless veteran.

"There are some cracks that need to be healed up."

Brown's mission is to help veterans transition through homelessness and other situations.

She works the phone, to navigate vets through the Veterans Affairs system, to get their benefits.

I asked Brown about her work.

"Do you charge these homeless veterans?"

"No! Homeless veterans, incarcerated veterans; I do not charge. It goes through my non-profit organization which is BJG Missions incorporated. Every veteran deserves help!"

Help that other military veterans agrees they need.

"We're human just like everybody else. Show us that you care."

Joe Williams is an Army veteran.

One of about 100 Brown has helped since founding BJG Missions.

A mission veterans like Kenon say should exist in communities throughout the country.

"There's still stuff that needs to be done."

Brown says the business plans to be in a brick and mortar building in August of this year to continue to help veterans in need. In Southwest Tallahassee, Terry Gilliam, ABC27.