Shaun Crump has served our country doing tours in Iraq as a member of the U.S. Army. Now that he has returned, he is transforming lives through a coffee shop initiative supporting war veterans. There is a place for everyone at Sunshine Coffeehouse and the shop aims to serve as a forum for ideas and gathering.
War veteran, Occupy Supporter, Silverman Law client and now coffee shop director, Crump has embraced many roles over the course of his life. Now a resident of Arizona, Crump is trying to turn his life around and create a project to assist veterans in need.
Two years ago, Crump’s life was drastically different. As a veteran, he faced many issues upon returning to the U.S.
“When I left the military, I was not offered the support that was promised. I found it difficult to find and sometimes keep a job. I was still a soldier in my mind and that is how I worked. Civilian life is dramatically different from military life. Because of TBI and Post Traumatic Stress, it became hard to have relationships. I drank a lot and was on a path to destroying myself. During Occupy, I met and fell in love with Sunshine, who was a member of the NLG. Through her, I have found the strength and motivation to make a better life for myself. I was fortunate to find her. Many, if not most veterans coming home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan do not have that support”, Crump wrote in a correspondence with Political Crimes.
After returning home, Crump took part in the Occupy movement in Houston as a veteran living in a homeless shelter. Crump was asked to leave the shelter due to conflicting interests between the shelter and Occupy movement and participated in the Occupy movement for three months. Shortly after while occupying Tranquility Park, he was arrested with 5 other members of the group for refusing to remove a tarp they had constructed as shelter which was determined to be an illegal structure. Thanks to support from the National Lawyers Guild and attorneys like Daphne Silverman, charges were dropped. Silverman was active in organizing lawyers to provide assistance in the Houston movement. The National Lawyers Guild provided legal support and representation to protestors.
Crump wrote, ” Even though many do not see the good that came out of the movement, I found camaraderie, motivation, teamwork, and most of all people who had never or would never have spoken out about the wrongs of the government stood tall during Occupy.”
For those not familiar with the movement, Occupy was hailed as one of the most peaceful movements to date. The movement contains a widely diverse base, including vets, senior citizens, students , the unemployed, the homeless, peace activists and even corporate employees joined seeking an outlet to air grievances on issues including economic inequality, police brutality, unemployment, home foreclosures and other concerns.
Currently, Crump is striving to get his coffee shop off the ground in the thriving city of Jonesboro. Crump has been embraced by the community, encountering widespread support for his initiative from groups including the Downtown Jonesboro Association, business owners, and members of the community. Even the owner at the projected location interned at a VA hospital and has been a source of encouragement.
“Through Sunshine Coffeehouse I will provide that support for other veterans struggling. The problem with the way veterans are taken care of is the lack of complete support. Most veterans fall through the cracks when seeking help from Veteran Affairs or other outlets ‘dedicated to supporting veterans’. I fell through the cracks as well and I know how hard it is to climb your way out of them alone. That is why I will prioritize employment for veterans and those living in poverty,” Crump noted.
Though Crump has encountered community support and many veterans are interested in partaking in the project, many are outside of Arizona and cannot afford to relocate. Yet Crump remains optimistic and committed to his goal of providing support for vets. Crump noted,
“Veterans do a difficult and often dangerous job for their country… A good way to fill in the cracks is to prioritize employment for veterans. We need jobs and we are highly qualified, but many vets are still looking. Veterans of every era need to step up the demand for the services they have earned. Regular citizens who recognize the sacrifice of military service can step up and support veterans in building businesses, stabilizing their lives and assisting veteran families. All you have to do is ask. Many veterans struggle. They shouldn’t have to.”
Crump is still seeking capital to back the initiative and has plans to open in December of 2013. Those seeking more information about the Sunshine Coffeehouse can visit their facebook page or google site. To support the initiative, visit here.
*Correction: Poltical Crimes wishes to inform that Mr. Crump currently resides in Arkansas, not Arizona.
This blog has been cross blogged to our blog www.politicalcrimes.com .
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