>> IT IS A STORY WE COULD
POSITIVELY JAX AS WE CELEBRATE
NATION'S INDEPENDENCE.
PAY TRIBUTE TO MEN AND WOMEN,
MILITARY, THAT WORK TO KEEP
AMERICA FREE.
>> Anchor: SADLY MANY ARE
STRUGGLING WHEN THEY COME BACK.
THEY ARE ON THE STREETS
HOMELESS.
WE FOUND ONE LOCAL WOMAN ON A
PERSONAL MISSION TO MAKE SURE
VETERANS ARE TREATED WITH
DIGNIT.
>> YOU WILL FIND KATIE HERE AT
HEMMING PARK MOST SUNDAYS DOING
THIS.
>> DO NOT FORGET YOU ARE OUT
HERE, YOU NEED STUFF TOO, RIGHT?
>> GIVING OUT CLOTHES.
FOOD.
ANYTHING NEEDED TO LIVE ON THE
STREETS.
>> EVERYONE HAS TO ASK FOR HELP.
IT SUCKS TO ASK.
>> YES.
>> ZOO I CAN HELP YOU.
>> IT IS HER HEART THAT
MOTIVATES HER.
>> I WILL BRING YOU PANTS
TOMORROW.
>> ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY 300
PEOPLE TURNED OUT AT THE RALLY
IN THE PARK.
COMBINED EFFORT OF LOCAL
MINISTRIES INCLUDING HER
JACKSONVILLE LOVE PROJECT THAT
SHE CO-FOUNDED.
>> WE TRY TO GIVE THEM VIABLE
NEEDS OF FOOD.
CLOTHING, OTHER NECESSITIES AND
JUST SHOW THEM THAT WE LOVE
THEM.
GOD LOVES THEM.
THEY ARE NOT FORGOTTEN.
>> IT GOES BEYOND THAT.
THIS ARMY VETERAN ON A MISSION
TO PUT AN END TO HOMELESSNESS.
AMONG THOSE THAT SERVED THE
NATION AND ARE NOW ON THE
STREETS.
>> WHEN I SEE PURPLE HEART
RECIPIENTS SLEEPING SUNDBRIDGES
IT IS NOT MORALLY OKAY.
WE SHOULD NOT BE OKAY WITH IT AS
A CITY AND SOCIETY.
SO TRYING TO SOLVE THE ISSUE ONE
AT A TIME.
AS VETERAN AND HUMAN BEING I AM
TRYING TO HELP MY BROTHERS AND
SISTERS GET OFF THE ROAD.
>> SHE SAID JACKSONVILLE HAS
HIGHER NUMBER THAN HOMELESS
VETERANS THAN MOST THINK.
AND THERE ARE PROGRAMS TO
ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
>> BUT IT TAKES PEOPLE LIKE ME
THAT KNOWS ABOUT THE PROGRAM TO
PREACH IT.
SAY DO YOU WANT THIS?
GO HERE.
IF YOU WANT THIS.
GO HERE.
HUNGRY?
I WILL FEED YOU.
I WILL GIVE YOU CLOTHES.
TRYING MY BEST TO DO WHAT I CAN.
>> CHOREBACK BACKGROUND IS
STARTLING.
BORN IN A FIELD.
SOMEWHERE NEAR GAINESVILLE.
THEN MINUTES OLD ABANDON.
LEFT IN THE DIRT BY A NEWSPAPER
STAND COVERED WITH BITING ANTS.
>> IT IS HARD TO PUT IN TO
WORDS.
NEVER BEEN HERE.
SO MY FIRST HOME.
>> WE ARE WE ARE WHEN SHE
RETURNED TO THE SPOT ALONG 75
WHERE SHE WAS FOUND.
>> FULL OF HATE AND RAGE AND
ANGER.
WHY ME?
>> THAT START ALONG WITH A
CATHOLIC UPBRINGING BY
JACKSONVILLE FAMILY THAT ADOPTED
HER HELPED TO EXPLAIN HER HEART.
>> HARD WHEN PEOPLE COME OUT AND
SEE ME.
WELL, YOU ARE NOT ONE OF US.
I AM ONE OF YOU.
HOMELESS FROM THE BEGINNING.
IF I CAN OVERCOME IT ANYONE CAN.
IT IS FINDING THE NECESSARY
TOOLS TO DO THAT.
>> YOU DO NOT FIND MANY PEOPLE
WITH GIVING HEART.
>> THIS WOMAN KNOWN HER FOR A
LONG YEAR AND A HALF AND HELPING
WITH HER.
CALLING HER INSPIRATION.
>> SHE HAS MULTIPLE OCCASIONS TO
TAKE OFF SHOES OFF HER OWN FEET
AND PUT IT ON OTHER PEOPLE'S
FEET AND WALK BAREFOOT.
CONTINUING TO GIVE OUT FOOD AND
WATER AND JUST -- IT IS HER
HEART.
>> VETERANS SERVE A DIFFERENT
LOVE AMONG US.
DIFFERENT LOYALTY.
>> CHOREBACK SAID WHEN SHE FINDS
SOMEONE THAT REALLY WANTS OFF
THE STREET BUT LACKS THE
ABILITY.
>> I WILL TAKE THEM TO MY HOME.
TEACH THEM BUDGETING AND FIND
THEM A HOME AND APARTMENT.
>> LET ME GET MY CARD SO YOU CAN
CALL ME.
>> ON THIS DAY WE FIND HER
GUIDING A SINGLE DAD THAT WAS
HOMELESS AND NEEDS HELP FIGHTING
LEUKEMIA AND RAISING A
FOUR-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER.
>> I DIDN'T HAVE HOPE WHEN I
FIRST GOT HERE.
ME AND MY LITTLE GIRL HOMELESS
BUT SHE HAS HELPED.
>> NOW KATIE CHOREBACK IS
HELPING HIM.
>> ALL I ASK IS YOU GIVE ME YOUR
TIME.
DONATE YOUR TIME HELPING OTHER
VETERANS.
SAYING THERE IS A WAZE AND
LISTEN.
I DID IT MYSELF.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT IS LOYALTY
THING.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES AMERICA GREAT.
IS WE AS CITIZENS HAVE THE
ABILITY TO DO WHAT WE CAN FOR
OTHERS.
OTHER COUNTRIES DO NOT HAVE
THAT.
>> I AM TELLING YOU, I WAS BLOWN
AWAY WHEN I MET HER.
SHE IS ONE REMARKABLE
JACKSONVILLE RESIDENT.
WE NEED TO BE PROUD WE HAVE
KATIE CHOREBACK ON OUR SIDE HERE
IN JACKSONVILLE.
SHE IS PROBABLY THE MOST
GENUINELY GIVING PERSON I HAVE
EVER MET.
YOU ARE FLOORED WHEN YOU MEET
HER.
SO UNASSUMING.
>> Anchor: OUR COMMUNITY
BETTER FOR A PERSON LIKE KATIE
CHOREBACK.
I AM GLAD YOU DID THAT STORY AND
MAYBE INSPIRES SOME PEOPLE.
I AM FEELING INSPIRED TO DIG
DEEPER.