Before becoming the Texas Director of USA Cares, Matt Maples was pastoring a church in the Texas Panhandle. When his wife received a call inviting her to serve as a program director at Texas Baptist Children’s Home, they made the faithful decision to move to Round Rock.
After arriving, Maples began looking for ways to continue serving others, particularly through nonprofits. That search led him to connect with USA Cares President and CEO Matt Castor on LinkedIn. Their conversations about what the organization does to support veterans and their families shifted Maples’s perspective on life in a powerful way.
“It brought me back to my own story,” says Maples. “When I finished high school, I tried to join the military but couldn’t. I talked to all the branches, but I have asthma, so I just wasn’t eligible. It was sad to me because I was born at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii, where my father was a U.S. Marine. And my grandfather, one of the most significant influences in my life, served in the U.S. Army in World War II.”
The military has always been close to his heart, and while he couldn’t serve in the way he once dreamed, Maples feels blessed to be in the position to give back now.
USA Cares was founded in 2003 by Kentucky veterans after 9/11 as a way to step in at the very first signs of crisis for veterans and their families. Since then, it has grown into a national organization that reduces risk factors and creates lasting stability, day after day. Their goal is to give veterans room to take a breath, regroup, and gather critical resources for their next steps.
The team is especially proud that just under 89 cents of every dollar raised goes directly toward their programs and services. Instead of large ad campaigns, they focus on building relationships in communities and sharing veterans’ stories to inspire donor support.
“We time it in such a way that we can come in just before the wheels come off the bus. We know that if we can keep a family together in their home and in their job, then we have a better shot at helping them have a successful life,” says Maples. “It’s about three times less expensive to stop a veteran from becoming homeless than it is to try to get them out of that.”
If you or someone you know could benefit from USA Cares, the process starts with a simple online application. With 18% of assistance requests coming from Texas, several staff members focus exclusively on the Lone Star State. In as little as 48 hours, a grant can be delivered to clear the slate for a fresh start.
Beyond emergency aid, USA Cares equips veterans with the tools to reintegrate into civilian life. They emphasize practical skills, like budgeting, while enabling veterans to rediscover their purpose, transition into careers, and remain connected to loved ones.
“It’s been a real honor to meet and speak with a number of veterans and hear their stories. It’s amazing to witness that selflessness, the sacrifices that so many people have made on behalf of me and you,” says Maples. “A lot of them are good at masking their problems, but that’s where we come in. They’ve helped us, so we’re trying to help them.”
Join USA Cares at the Field of Honor event in Georgetown from November 8th through 16th, in honor of Veterans Day! Learn how to get involved through volunteering or donating by emailing matt.maples@usacares.org and visiting usacares.org.