KANSAS CITY (KMOX) — Jason Kander is mounting a comeback, and now he wants his fellow veterans to have their own comebacks, too.
The former Missouri Secretary of State explained on CNN how life is much better nowadays, after dropping out of Kansas City's mayoral race last year, which he was expected to win. He announced he was going to seek treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, stemming from his military service in Afghanistan.
He got that treatment, and his comeback story was chronicled Sunday in the New York Times.
"I got into mental health treatment really quickly," Kander told CNN Tuesday morning. "I went to weekly therapy appointments at the VA and it's made an enormous difference in my life. I'm, in numerous ways, a different person than I was a year ago and I'm grateful for that."
Untreated PTSD forced Jason Kander to drop out of the Kansas City mayor's race. Nearly a year later, he is in a much better place, working with CNN Hero Chris Stout to expand @VCP_HQ to help other vets get the help they need. Get involved: https://t.co/9IVBD5dCUd pic.twitter.com/n302HwoU3M
— CNN Heroes (@CNNHeroes)
August 27, 2019 Nowadays, he advocates for the Veterans Community Project. It's based in Kansas City and since its inception has created a walk-in clinic for veterans as well as a small village of tiny homes for veterans to live in.
"What that does is it replicates the environment that a lot of folks were in prior to leaving the military," Kander explained on CNN. "Which was the last time they were in a really stable situation."
Today 2 homeless Veterans moved into their own tiny houses in VCP Village. Special thanks to house sponsors, @CommunityAmerCU & @WeAreFarmersKC. Please join our mission of serving those who served us. Be inspired. Share our passion. Get involved. https://t.co/fboifCFsol pic.twitter.com/jW33ymPitL
— VeteransCommunityPro (@VCP_HQ)
July 10, 2019 Kander wants to set up these villages in eight other locations in the next three years. The first place will be in Colorado.
St. Louis isn't on the list yet, but that could change. Kander says anyone interested in bringing the program to their city can go to VeteransCommunityProject.org for more information.
In addition to serving as Missouri's Secretary of State from 2013-2017, the Democrat also nearly unseated U.S. Senator Roy Blunt in 2016, losing 49%-46%.
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