VFW Post 12209 Adjutant Juanita Myers and her children experienced homelessness firsthand after she was discharged from the Army.
In 2005, while stationed with the 596th Maintenance Company at Kelly Barracks in Darmstadt, Germany, Myers’ family was heavily affected by Hurricane Rita. Myers made the decision to return home to Beaumont, Texas, to assist and be with them.
VFW Post 12209 adjutant Juanita Myers, center, joins members of her Post in celebrating the donation of appreciation bags from Operation Appreciation – a veteran-focused initiative from Texas-based grocery chain H-E-B on Nov. 10, 2025. Myers made it her goal to give back to the veteran community in any way she can. It was through initiatives in her community that Myers and her family were able to receive necessary resources to survive after the impact of Hurricane Rita, and it is from this experience that Myers made it her goal to extend a hand to veterans who might be struggling.
“It was the community that rallied around us,” said Myers. “So, making sure that I pay that kindness forward to other veterans is imperative.”
Myers joined Post 12209 on Ft. Hood, Texas, on Christmas Eve, 2024. She was invited by a member of the Post to come wrap presents for a Post Christmas celebration, and it was here she learned that VFW’s mission “lined up with (her) own mission to serve the veteran community.”
On Nov. 22, Myers and members of her Post partnered with Frontline Warriors Foundation, a Texas-based, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping both active-duty military personnel and veterans struggling with food insecurity. A total of 2,684 boxes of food were collected for Thanksgiving.
Myers has a hand in organizing events for “Operation Turkey,” an organization dedicated to donating food for those in need on Thanksgiving. She also helps organize other veteran appreciation events alongside members of Comanche Chapel, located on Fort Hood.
“My goal in every initiative is to create a lasting impact, strengthen community connections and honor those who serve,” said Myers.
This article is featured in the 2025 December issue of Checkpoint. If you're a VFW member and don't currently receive the VFW Checkpoint, please contact VFW magazine at magazine@vfw.org.