MESA, Ariz. — Mesa Police Sgt. Marcus Brown’s two tours in the Middle East gave him a new perspective on life and a reason to be sensitive to those who lack basic necessities.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again-- we have no idea how good we have it in America. I literally kissed the ground when I came home to the United States,” Brown said.
As a U.S. Marine, Brown felt like he was not just a combatant in Iraq but a kind of social worker who often connected Iraqi’s with food and clothing.
Today, Marcus tries to fill a similar role on the streets of Mesa. He launched the nonprofit called Veterans 5-9 for people in crisis, especially military veterans.
“At Veterans 5-9, we are here to provide food, lodging transportation and mental health resources in an emergency,” Brown said.
The phrase “5-9” refers to evening hours that organizations are typically closed. As an officer, Brown realized veterans in crisis often need immediate help during non-business hours. He wanted police to have a phone number they could give to veterans in crisis. So he created that number and became the resource.
“You’re talking about somebody going through an eviction, and it may be a Sunday afternoon,” Brown said. “If I can stop the emergency, stop the crisis, get them thinking in the right way, and then link them up with long term resources, then we solve the problem completely.”
For his work, Brown was inducted last month into the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame with 18 other veterans who served their community after leaving the military.
Brown answers two to three phone calls a week that are placed to Veterans 5-9. He’s ready to offer a hotel stay, food money, or a referral to another organization.
The nonprofit has helped more than 560 veterans to date.
“Through Veterans 5 to 9, we’re able to cut through the red tape,” Brown said.