Testimonials

The Wisener’s Story

When Gary and Dawn Wisener came to Wise County last Thanksgiving, it was the latest in a long sequence of transitions in their lives. Gary, a Navy veteran and construction worker, found his old flame on Facebook in June 2012 and moved to Arizona, marrying her two weeks later. Shortly after, Gary got a job at a power plant near Monroe, LA. The newlyweds packed up and left for the southeast. Three weeks later, Gary got laid off.

"And so now we're stuck in Louisiana, and I called my family there and stayed with them until we got odd jobs and made enough to get our own apartment," Gary said. Then, on Oct. 13, 2014, a tornado hit the area. "The power went out at 11 that morning, and we lived in our apartment the entire week with no electricity," Gary said. The power came back on that Friday night, but the couple's celebration was short-lived.

"We woke up early the next morning to our neighbor screaming at us that the building was on fire," Gary said. Gary and Dawn grabbed what they could and go out. They lost most of their possessions. While the couple figured out what to do next and lived off of $105 from Red Cross, Gary's daughter Latisha told them to come to Runaway Bay, where she lived with her family. That November, Gary and Dawn moved again, this time back west. What followed was a month of living in cars and hotels along with occasional stays at Latisha's apartment, never staying for longer than a week so they wouldn't violate her lease agreement.

That's when Gary had an idea -- go to the VA and see if they could help. He found out that he would have to move to Azle or Fort Worth to become eligible for their housing benefits. Fortunately at this point, Gary met someone at the Wise County Veteran's Service Office who directed him to the Acts 4 Others nonprofit in Decatur. The local charity helped Gary get a job mowing grass at Runaway Bay golf course and Dawn buy supplies for her new job at the Bridgeport women's prison. Acts 4 Others also pitched in with kitchen needs and furniture for the Wisner's new home.

"They used to be worried about getting a car to travel with, and now he can drive a golf cart to work," said board member Gerre Joiner. "It's amazing." Since Dawn and Gary are now fully employed, they can be taken off of the Acts 4 Others program so that others in need may benefit.

"We woke up early one morning to our neighbor screaming at us that the building was on fire," Gary said.

"I love my job, and I studied criminal justice in school, so it's what I've always wanted to do," Dawn said. "Getting that job was a huge blessing."