His Navy career cut short, this veteran is thankful he found a home in Fort Worth
Max and Jada Best want a lot more veterans to know about Operation Homefront.
The nonprofit placed the Fort Worth military family in a new house near North Crowley High School after Max, a Navy petty officer second class with six years of service, decided to leave the military. He had planned a longer military career, but when his wife Jada got pregnant with their second child, the 14 -to 16-hour days became too onerous.
Their experience is common for a lot of military families, said Gracie Broll, Operation Homefront’s vice president of transitional housing. Many plan for longer careers, but their plans get cut short due to injury or other major life events. So they’re forced to pivot with little to no savings.
San Antonio-based Operation Homefront provides vets and their families with short term financial support and longer term housing. It does this with programs like its transitional homes for veterans program, which puts vets and their families in a rent free home for two to three years while they build financial stability for more permanent housing.
Instead of rent, participating families are required to meet monthly saving goals that can then be used toward a down payment for a house once they graduate. Broll said most families complete the program in two years, but some use three to build their savings.
The Bests are adjusting to their new home, but Jada said their next house has to have a big kitchen.
“I make the best fried chicken you’ve ever had,” Best said. Max, who prefers baking, said it’s his job to make cookies for Santa.
Operation Homefront plans to build more homes in and around Fort Worth in the next few years, Broll said. She pointed to the relatively reasonable cost of living and the area’s support for the military as part of the reason Operation Homefront plans to expand here.
“Our military families work hard for us when we have a need, so we’re all about helping them when they have a need as well,” Broll said.
Operation Homefront pairs participating military families with counselors who help with budgeting, saving and debt reduction to put them on a stronger financial footing after graduating the program.
Broll said these graduation ceremonies are her favorite part of her job.
“When we graduate families, we know they’re stronger, more stable and secure than they were when they moved into the home,” she said.
Max said he appreciates having a longer runway to wrap up Veterans Affairs claims, find a job and spend time at home with the kids. His favorite part of being a stay-at-home dad is dealing with what he called the stressful aspects of parenting.
“Whether it’s him screaming his head off and I finally get him to sleep, I’m like man, I love this,” he said, referring to his newborn, Avery.
Jada loved how Operation Homefront was able to help her with baby supplies by organizing a drive-thru baby shower during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The car was so full that at the end of the line I couldn’t fit anymore, but they had more stuff for me,” she said.
Operation Homefront gets funding through corporate sponsorship and individual donations. The Bests are the first of three military families settled in houses built in Fort Worth thanks to a $350,000 donation from Pillsbury. Jada said she plans to use Pillsbury pie dough when attempting to make peach pie for Thanksgiving to express her appreciation.
Both Bests said they’ve been trying to get their friends who are still in the military signed up with Operation Homefront. Max Best cautioned that not all families who sign up get a home, but referenced other services the organization provides, such as food drives for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Veterans have to be honorably discharged and have left the service within the last year to apply for the transitional housing program.
Jada said her family has a lot to be thankful for this year. They plan to spend Thanksgiving with family and a couple fellow veterans, and celebrate both the new house and Jada’s birthday which lines up with the holiday.
This story was originally published November 24, 2021 at 5:30 AM.
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