Homeless veterans stay at City Mission

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Despite all they did to serve our country, a recent study estimates some 1,700 veterans in western New York are homeless.

One of the 20 homeless veterans at the Buffalo City Mission is Mark Thomas, a Navy veteran, who has spent the past two months at the City Mission after going through Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and then falling on hard times.

"The Mission itself opened its doors to me and accepted me just the way I was with no strings attached. They said' We're here to help you," said Thomas.

Then there is Eyugene Fields, who just came back from fighting in Iraq a year ago.

"I was able to find a job but the adjusting to regular actual civilized life, took me some time," said Fields.

He ended up losing his job in Jamestown in this year's tough economy.

On an average night, about 180 men spend the night at the City Mission. But for the homeless veterans staying here, it's different.

"To return home and have to scratch out an existence, searching for a job, for housing, searching for a place and way to reintegrate in society leaves an empty spot," said Pastor Michael Robinson, of the Buffalo City Mission.

"You could tell I'm a very optimistic person. I'm gonna rebound and come back up, and I'm gonna rise above. I'm gonna swim again," Fields said.