For Navy Veteran Sean, Home Means Security and Community
At 62, Sean has built a life defined by service, creativity, and community connection.
As a Navy veteran, Sean served for five and a half years as an aviation electrician. By the time he left the Navy, he had attained the rank of E-5, or second-class petty officer, and completed three aircraft carrier deployments.
After leaving the Navy, Sean began a long career working behind the scenes in entertainment. Following in the footsteps of his father, who was a stagehand, Sean worked on Broadway for approximately 20 years. He built scenery for television and theater and worked at venues including Madison Square Garden, where his assignments included the Grammy Awards and numerous concerts.
Later in life, Sean experienced housing instability after losing the home he shared with his girlfriend at the time. He entered the shelter system, eventually finding his way to a veterans shelter in Long Island City. Altogether, he spent more than two years in the shelter system.
During that difficult period, Sean also found lasting connections. He remains in contact with people, many fellow veterans, who he met in the shelter system, including a friend who now lives in Virginia. “Some of those guys [from the shelters] are my best friends now,” he said.
In April 2017, Sean moved into supportive housing operated by Services for the UnderServed (S:US) at Knickerbocker in Brooklyn. After years of housing instability, having an apartment of his own gave him something essential: a place where he could feel secure.
“[S:US’ Knickerbocker housing] is the best thing that ever happened to me. I feel secure here. I’ve been here 8 years. I love it.”
Today, Sean receives housing and supportive services through S:US. He also connects with a counselor and nurse practitioner through S:US’ Wellness Works clinic.
Over the years, that sense of security has helped Sean put down roots beyond the walls of his apartment. He has become a familiar face in the community surrounding Knickerbocker.
“I feel very comfortable here because I’ve met a lot of people in the neighborhood,” he shared, “Everybody knows me. I’d be walking down the street collecting cans and they’ll be like, ‘Hi, Sean, how are you doing?’ They’re nice to me.”
Sean stays active by walking through the neighborhood and checking in with people he encounters. He also helps an older neighbor by cleaning her yard and caring for her plants. “I just try to help her out as one should,” he expressed.
His interest in plants also extends to his participation as an Urban Farmer with S:US Urban Farms®, where he enjoys the garden and therapeutic programming at Knickerbocker. Whether tending to plants or lending a hand to a neighbor, Sean has found ways to remain active and engaged with the place he now calls home.
He is now looking ahead, hoping to travel, reconnect with friends and spend time with family, including meeting his youngest grandson for the first time.
For Sean, having a stable home has provided the foundation to keep building a life on his own terms, with security, purpose, and a community where he belongs.
This success story was made possible through a generous grant from the Bob Woodruff Foundation, with funding from Craig Newmark Philanthropies, which enables S:US to expand our support services for service members, veterans, and their families across New York City and Long Island. We’re proud to be a member of the Bob Woodruff Foundation’s #GotYour6 Network and thank them for helping us continue this critical work.
About The Bob Woodruff Foundation
The Bob Woodruff Foundation was founded in 2006 after reporter Bob Woodruff was wounded by a roadside bomb while covering the war in Iraq. Since then, the Bob Woodruff Foundation has raised awareness about the tough challenges veterans and military families are facing, and invested in solutions to help support them in the next chapter of their lives. To date, the Bob Woodruff Foundation has invested over $165 million to ensure that our nation’s veterans, service members, and their families — those who stood for us — have stable and successful futures. Visit the Bob Woodruff Foundation for more information.
