It is not every day that you meet someone who bought a 3,500 sq-ft house to shelter 18 homeless people. Meet Eretta Brown-Perry. Eretta is on a mission to enable homeless men, women, and children, especially those who have served our country, to attain a safe, productive, and meaningful life. “True happiness consists in giving and in serving others; that is the meaning of life,” says Eretta Brown-Perry, founder of A Vet’s Choice, a sober living facility providing a safe haven for homeless veterans.
Eretta learned the importance of giving back at an early age. She grew up in a family full of Veterans, from her father who was a well-known cowboy and an Army veteran, to her older brother, as well as her husband, A Vet’s Choice Co-Founder, Harold O. Perry. She later devoted 20 years of her life to teaching and then became a Real Estate Consultant, an Entrepreneur, and a Philanthropist. Her upbringing and compassion for people have never departed from her.
With a special affinity toward veterans, Eretta and her husband have always prayed to be a part of the answer, not the problem. They realize that many veterans need “a hand up to get up.” The Veterans Administration estimates that 22 American Veterans commit suicide each day in the United States. They face serious depression, mental health issues, and substance abuse.
Frances grew up in a family full of veterans before meeting the love of her life, Frederick L. Germany, a disabled veteran from the United States Army. Frederick passed on August 27, 2017 (during Hurricane Harvey). Frances continues to honor her husband’s legacy through her mission to assist homeless veterans.
In order to carry out their mission of helping such veterans, Frances Germany was brought on board. Frances is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC-Intern), and a Certified Pastoral Counselor (CPC). She is also the founder of Love to the Max, Love 2 Teach Educational Counseling, LLC, and Co-Founder of Fellowship Christian Church.
Frances provides the following services for A Vet’s Choice: Christian counseling, mental health counseling, substance abuse/use counseling, and individual and group counseling; to children, adolescents, and adults. She is also a Trauma Informed Clinician; currently pursuing her Ed.D in Community Counseling: Traumatology.
28% of Greater Houston’s homeless population are veterans (approximately 3,600). 5-10% of Houston’s homeless population are women veterans. About 45% of homeless veterans suffer from mental illness, and, with considerable overlap, slightly more than 70% suffer from alcohol or other drug abuse problems.
CJ is a veteran who suffers from PTSD that was living with his mother until her death. At that time, he became homeless and was living on the streets. He ran into Eretta one day as she decided to take her car in for service. CJ happened to be the person servicing her car and started telling her his story about being a veteran and the struggles he was enduring since becoming homeless. A connection between CJ and Eretta was instantly formed. CJ became A Vet’s Choice first resident. He also receives mental health and substance abuse counseling from Frances Germany to this day.
A Vet’s Choice, “Home of Love, Life, and Liberty,” will continue to engage the Houston community to help assist homeless Veterans like CJ find shelter, appropriate healthcare, mental health and substance abuse counseling, as well as potential job-assistance placement. Contact Eretta Brown-Perry at 832-794-8782 or Frances Germany at 832-725-0229 for details.
Our Partners
NorthStar Care, VA Houston, Coalition for the Homeless, Houston Furniture Bank, Easterseals, BakerRipley, American GI Forum, United Way Houston