Local U.S. Air Force Veteran, 63-year-old Douglas Burley, is finally able to sleep in a bed in his own apartment after community leaders come together to find him a home. 

Burley was sitting in his car on a rainy day in July when Lubbock Police Homeless Outreach Team (H.O.T.) Officer Tony Chacon approached his car at Lubbock Impact. This organization reached out to this team for their skills and reputation of helping the growing homeless community in Lubbock. 

“He was parked in the parking lot, he was kind of hidden away, parking in between two bigger vehicles so if you drove by you didn’t really notice,” Chacon said. “I asked him to sit in my pick-up and we start talking and he starts giving me his information and and when I asked him if he was a vet he said he was.”

Chacon learns of his military service through this conversation and thought he might be able to get some help through Vet Star. 

“I couldn’t really go anywhere, I go look for jobs walking and that, ended up in the hospital, had a pacemaker put in from it,” Burley said. 

“It was one of those things where I feel like I owed veterans something, so instead of just waiting and seeing what happens, I made a phone call to see if I could get anybody and they told me they were in a meeting. So I drove to their office and I asked for somebody so I could hand deliver it,” Chacon said. 

He met with Angel Lopez, Vet Star’s Veteran Case Manager, who put this case immediately into action. 


“We went out and spoke to the veteran, we brought him back to the office, and he did his in-take packet,” Lopez said. This package covered every piece of information ranging from his background, military status, and now homeless situation, which is a standard procedure for each client. 

“We took his information and were waiting for his funding and so once we got the funding we were able to say let’s go, let’s start looking for an apartment for him,” Lopez said. 

She said the entire process took several months, but once the funding came through, Burley was in an apartment within a couple of weeks. 

“I was happy, I really was,” Burley said. “I really wasn’t getting much help. I’m the type of person that doesn’t ask for help.”

Burley moved in with three items of his own: a table, television, and DVD player. He said the rest was given to him by local organizations around town. 

Officer Chacon was able to see the process come full circle and witnessed Burley signing his lease. 

“It’s one of those moments, it’s hard to describe in words because now even talking about it i’m getting chill bumps,” Chacon said. “You see someone go through hard times and then we’re able to lift him up and help him out and it really means a lot to us, especially doing what we do.”

“Look for it, ask for it, don’t be like me. Don’t be stubborn, ask for the help,” Burley said. 

Officer Chaco said they are able to help others like Burley through the service of donations from local organizations. He recommended giving to those organizations for anyone willing to donate time or resources. 

Lubbock Impact said they are in need of men every-day clothing items. While Vet Star also takes donations by texting “Vetstar” to 41444.