Helping heroes: Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin serves those who served
As soon as he turned 18, Trevor Morgan enlisted. He proudly served our nation in the U.S. Navy for five years. When Trevor came back to the states and took off his boots, however, he realized something.
“You always get trained on how to put your uniform on, but not how to take it off,” he says.
Trevor notes that veterans are 1.5 times more likely to commit suicide than nonveterans. Even while overall veteran suicide rates have gone down in the last couple years, the American Family Insurance agency owner from Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin says veterans must be supported as they adjust to civilian life.
That’s why for the past six years Trevor has worked with Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin (VOW) — a nonprofit organization based in Racine that assists homeless and at-risk veterans by providing food, clothing, tiny home shelters in its community, and programming. Currently serving as the VOW Board of Directors President, Trevor has seen how VOW improves the lives of many Wisconsin veterans, including Glenn Miller.
Serving in the Navy from 1984–1992, Glenn says his life completely changed after returning home. Three years ago, Glenn says, “I was a total mess.” After being homeless, moving in and out of different shelters, battling substance abuse and completing multiple rehab stints, Glenn says a counselor in Kenosha connected him to VOW in October of 2020.
“I had an interview, and they accepted me to get into a tiny house,” Glenn notes. “And from that day on, I never touched nothing ever again.”
Glenn has been clean and sober for three years. He graduated from VOW in September 2022, but the veteran’s road to recovery didn’t come easy. Every day, he says he woke up and made a choice: Use the resources Trevor and the entire VOW team offered him.
“The program works like you would not believe,” Glenn said. “God bless every one of them that work there.”
VOW set Glenn up for success, as he currently works on a shaving cream line with SC Johnson. He still stays in contact with Trevor, someone he says was his “lifesaver.”
Trevor prefers to view himself in a different way.
In his eyes, Trevor says he’s simply trying to help heroes. Stories like Glenn’s give Trevor hope for veterans in Wisconsin. Working with VOW and positively impacting those who served motivates Trevor every day.
“It’s a passion of mine to give a voice to those who don’t necessarily have one of their own.”
The American Family Insurance Dreams Foundation offers a social impact budget to American Family Insurance Group employees and agency owners like Trevor, who can match donations to their favorite nonprofits.
We call those who use all of their social impact budgets “Maximizers.” Look for more of their stories on Medium and our LinkedIn page.
