James’ Story
James Richardson served in Vietnam and was motivated to join the military after a friend was killed in action. “I graduated high school, had a friend killed in Vietnam, wanted to serve in his place—he was in the Marines; my parents signed for me at 17,” he said.
He first learned about Catholic Charities through the American Legion. Initially, he was reluctant to ask for help. “One of my true friends from the American Legion told me Catholic Charities could help me; he knew I was in a bind. I wasn’t going to ask for help from anybody,” he admitted.
James struggled for decades to secure VA benefits, repeatedly being denied from 1972 to 2018. He went to great lengths to recover lost records, even traveling to Austin. “The VA supposedly lost my records in a fire; they were on microfilm… within two weeks a miracle happened and all of my records turned up on a CD from St. Louis that had disappeared from 1972 until 2018,” he explained.
Through Catholic Charities, he connected with a board-certified attorney specializing in veterans’ claims. This legal support helped him finally achieve service connection and back pay.
He also struggled financially, supporting his daughter and two grandchildren on a limited disability income. When his rent suddenly increased by $150, he didn’t know what to do. One day, overwhelmed and unsure how to manage, he sat in his car outside of Catholic Charities Veterans Service Center and cried. “I had zero, nothing. I didn’t know what I was going to do,” he said. A security guard noticed and checked on him.
Catholic Charities immediately stepped in. They helped him make his rent payment and provided a lift chair for safety after several falls at home. “They said, ‘We’re going to help you get a lift chair.’ I slept in it for the last week. Two boxes were sitting on my front porch, and my daughter put it together in ten minutes,” he recounted. The chair restored his independence and confidence. “I haven’t stumbled or fallen since then. My daughter said, ‘Dad, I can’t believe they did this.’ I just said, ‘I know.’”
James described the dedication and warmth of the Catholic Charities staff. “Janis called me back in the evening after hours and gave me a date and time to come in… it was like we’d been friends forever,” he said. Their support went beyond practical needs, offering hope and dignity during a time of vulnerability. “I want to thank you all for your service and everything you do.”