Honoring and Serving Veterans with PTSD like Raphael

Born in Manchester, England, Raphael and his family moved to the Bronx when he was nine years old. A few years after graduating high school, Raphael joined the Army, traveling to Georgia and California on active duty for 2 years. Later Raphael joined NYC Sanitation, but remained committed to his military service by entering the Reserves.

In 2003, Raphael received the call to serve first in Kuwait and then Iraq. He received a diagnosis of severe diabetes while overseas and experienced events that left him with PTSD.

Recently, Raphael found God’s Love We Deliver and in August joined our new home-delivered meal program for veterans living with PTSD. His medical team is thrilled that he is receiving medically tailored meals because the results are dramatic: his A1C is decreasing because he is eating less sugar; and having meals delivered to his home keeps his mood calm because he does not have to worry about going outside, which can trigger his PTSD.

Raphael looks forward to Thursdays because he’ll get his delivery, a smile, and someone to ask how he’s doing. He loves all of our meals, but most especially our our soups, fish entrees, fruit cups, and cake. Prior to God’s Love he’d eat primarily junk food or “whatever was easy at the grocery store.”

Raphael is so grateful for our program, he tells us, “Thank you very much for all that you do. You’ve been very helpful to me and to all of the people you serve. I really appreciate what you do.”