From parking lot to purpose: Once homeless marine aids vets in Albany

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — A Marine Corps Veteran in Albany is committed to helping vets find housing after his life took an unexpected turn—leaving the service left him homeless in a parking lot.

Home for Matthew Jones is a pristine yard and a new truck in the driveway. The former marine fought hard to get here, and the past isn't a place he visits often.

"No one knows my story, no one, " Jones said. "I don't tell anyone nothing. So this is probably going to be a big shock to a lot of people."

Thirteen years ago, Jones had just ended his time with the Marine Corps. He was sleeping inside his old truck in a parking lot at SUNY Schenectady County Community College while attempting to get a degree.

"I stayed away from the general public so that way they wouldn't bother me," Jones said. "I was over there by that shed."

He survived off eating ramen noodles, and a staff member at the college connected him with the YMCA to get a shower before attending classes.

Then, at 22 years old, Jones ran out of his GI Bill money to take community college classes.

"It's like what happened to the quote on quote glory days, ya know? Running and gunning."

Jones enlisted at 17 years old, made possible only by a signature from his parents. His last deployment was in Afghanistan. Jones was a saw gunner, operating an M249 machine gun to protect his squad. 

"Coming back with all these issues that I didn't know that I had. The stigma is your hard; you think you can take it, but you really can't," Jones said. "And it takes a while for veterans to really understand what they went through. I'm still reflecting on it to this day." 

Veteran homelessness has seen a 52% decrease since 2010, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. However, the latest Homeless Assessment Report from 2023 revealed a concerning trend: an increase in veteran homelessness by 7% percent from 2022 to 2023.

The Capital Region is no exception to homeless veterans on the streets.

"Unfortunately, our veterans are living in bus stations, under the bridges. There's encampments in the woods, parking lots, you name it and they're there," Sierra Bailey, Licenensed Social Worker at the Albany Stratton VA Medical Center, said.

Bailey works in the Homeless Veterans Program. She connects vets with jobs and housing and sometimes coordinates help with substance abuse through the hospital.

"When we first meet with them, it breaks my heart because they are hunched over; they don't want to look you in the eye. They might lie a little just because they are embarrassed," Bailey said.

She said the first step is meeting their basic needs to boost their confidence. Former Marine Corps and Army veteran Erwin Dominguez shared that over 7,000 vets utilized the VA's food pantry last year.

Dominguez is the Civic Engagement Service Chief at Albany Stratton VA. As a combat veteran who served a combined 21 years in the Army and Marine Corps, Dominguez feels connected to the vets who walk the halls at the hospitals seeking help.

"With the Marines, it was really fast. When you're deployed, every day was a Monday. There were no Saturdays or Sundays. So then you become civilian and everything stops," Dominguez said. "You're not yelling, you're not cussing. You have to, kind of, take a break. And that was hard for me."

On November 3, Dominguez organized a community Stand Down event at the Saratoga Wilton Elks Lodge to help other vets adapt. Barbers offered haircuts, doctors and nurses gave health assessments, and local businesses provided networking opportunities.

"The biggest part of it all is having all the veterans there together. No one looks after a veteran like a veteran," Dominguez said.

That's a belief that Jones also lives by. He works at the VA now, connecting homeless vets with apartments and housing.

"So I now I actually have to put myself in their shoes like I did 10 years ago. Like 'how is he going to get out of this situation?' best way is a vet on the vet," Jones said.

At 35, Jones still remembers the two veterans who helped him move out of his truck and into a group home in Albany. His girlfriend, now his wife, urged him to talk to a staff member at the college, and they connected him with the VA.

Jones started working at Albany Stratton VA Medical Center, climbing his way up from being a housekeeper at the hospital to his dream position as a housing specialist.

"It's funny cause I did the interview at my own house that I own, with my own new truck. What else do you want from me? Give me the job," He laughed. "Why am I doing the interview?"

It's a life he's proud to share with his wife and the Filipino community that has become his second family.

Jones said it took fellow vets to get him on a path he never saw coming. Now, with a full tank of purpose and commitment, he’s doing the same for countless others.

The Albany Stratton VA Medical Center is available to connect veterans in need with services for healthcare or other programs at 800-877-6976

Since this report was recorded, The Department of Veterans Affairs shared new data from the 2024 PIT report ahead of its publishing release date. "Between January 2023 and January 2024, the number of veterans experiencing any form of homelessness dropped from 35,574 to 32,882-which represents an 7.5% drop since last year, 11.7% drop since 2020, and 55.6% drop since 2010. Among unsheltered veterans, the number dropped 10.7%-from 15,507 in 2023 to 13,851 in 2024."