NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — As prices for everyday items keep rising, we know making ends meet in the greater Nashville area is getting harder.
Wounded Warrior Project explained to me many veterans are feeling squeezed out.
According to a recent survey, 64.2% of warriors reported that, at some point in the past 12 months, they did not have enough money to make ends meet.
"A lot of people who have moved here to Nashville... no longer can live here and have to move out," said Melvin Gatewood.
In the 12 month span, the top two reasons for financial strain or struggle were increased costs of goods (81.8%) and working but not making enough money (26.8%).
Army veteran Gatewood is a peer group leader for Wounded Warrior Project. He meets at least once a week with a group of veterans from Huntsville to Hopkinsville.
He showed me around the office in downtown Nashville where veterans, paid and volunteer, spend all day helping injured veterans live comfortably in their desired community.
"It could be anything from well I've been out of the service for a couple years but I have two kids who will be entering into college... it's not to the point that I have to get food stamps or anything of that nature, but at the same time I have to work on the budget that I currently have and dial back from some things," Gatewood gave as an example.
Sometimes Gatewood will tell veterans it's worth it to talk to a career coach like Jacob Mousseau.
Often, a veteran's wages just aren't keeping up with inflation and it's time to switch jobs for better pay.
Mousseau is also a veteran of the army. While he works hard, he says it is hard for veterans to quickly land a job these days.
"Veterans bring adaptability, learning agility, things that are very important in a workplace, however, we've maybe been disconnected from the workforce doing specific tasks and maybe we don't have the specific job experience that's need," said Mousseau.
Gatewood says getting a veteran in the door to a meeting could be the start of their networking journey.
"I can be a sounding board, but at the same time once you get finished with that frustration, let me give you resources Wounded Warrior Project has," Gatewood said.
Roughly 37,000 veterans live in Davidson County, the second largest amount in Tennessee.
Veterans did receive additional benefits in March and April because of a 3.2% cost-of-living adjustment.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
