No salary/No Benefits – Just Hard Work
“Rockland Homes For Heroes” is not a Business and more than a Charity, it’s a mission of compassion and understanding.
John Manifold enlisted in the Army at age 17 in January 1967, just 2 years after the US had troops on the ground in Viet Nam. After his Basic training, John was assigned to the 9th Infantry Division as a bulldozer operator in the 15th Engineer Battalion and deployed to Viet Nam.
John was awarded a Purple heart for combat wounds on March 30, 1968.
After his combat tour, John joined a Tank Division in Texas until Honorably Discharged on January 5, 1970 to start his civilian life of a beloved wife, 2 sons and 4 grandchildren and a career in the Spring Valley Water Company/United Water Company, but his desire to serve still burned brightly in his heart.
It began by raising money for Camp Venture with car shows and led to his “Enlisting’ in the “Rockland Homes For Heroes” mission of ending Veteran homelessness.
His passion soon lifted John onto the Board of Directors, not as a traditional Board member, but as a very devoted hard working “Hands-On-Doer”. Almost 5 days a week, John drives over one hour each way from his home to the “Rockland Homes for Heroes” site on Western Highway in Tappan to roll up his sleeves and dig in doing whatever needs doing. He refuses to accept gas money and volunteers to do any required task, which save the charity thousands of dollars. Now John is steeped in the leadership of the forthcoming construction of 14 supported apartments on property from which his brother soldiers left America to fight in a distant land in WW II.
