OAK-Overlanding Adventure Kit

My name is Brandon, and my business partners, Simon, Jeremy and I are all veterans who see a problem in America right now. When I got out of the Army, I was on the verge of being homeless. I was staying with my parents for Christmas and had no idea what to do. I had no money to get back to where my stuff was; was renting a room and was behind on rent. Luckily for me, something came through that changed my life for the better. However, that isn't the case for a lot of veterans. When I wasn't sure how I was going to get back home, let alone survive once the holidays were over, I felt horrible. I felt like a failure and didn't want to ask for help because this was my problem that I had created. This tends to be the case with many veterans; we are so used to being self-sufficient and being able to handle everything that is thrown at us. There is nothing we hate more than the thought of being a failure to our families and friends. There are programs to help veterans, however they are not very well known or advertised aside from what we are told when we are out processed from the service. The difference between OAK and other programs is we aren't sending the veteran back to school or putting them in an uncomfortable environment. We are an auto shop and parts manufacturer that helps vets and active duty alike by offering a safe environment that feels familiar and safe, where they don't have to walk on eggshells so they don't insult civilians or feel like they have to pretend to be like them. In time we want to have tiny homes on site to house homeless vets as we help teach them a wide array of trade skills that cannot be taken away from them. When the vets get to a point that they can be self-sufficient they will be able to take the tiny home with them or we can get them in contact with a housing program. So far, we have helped one homeless vet by housing him in my own home while we help him navigate the channels and get the benefits he’s entitled to. We have also been fortunate enough to help other veterans that just need assistance with knowledge and tools working on their vehicles. OAK doesnt stop there- we also strive to help the community with affordable automotive repair by honest people. We have worked in various shops throughout the years, and we both have seen people pay for work that wasn’t needed or pay for work that wasn't done. What we pay for parts is what our customers pay, and then we only ask they pay for our time, knowledge and tools. We can walk the customer through a job or just do it for them. The more affordable it is for individuals to fix their vehicles, the more inclined they will be to actually do it, and the safer overall the roads for everyone will be. The funds we are asking for will go towards tools, equipment and various bills to help get us started. We are already looking at properties, as we have already outgrown the garage that we started in. There is so much more I could say about OAK, but I believe our mission speaks for itself. If you are interested in our work and mission, you are more than welcome to reach out to us or stop by!

Sincerely, Brandon, Simon and Jeremy.