The Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans is dedicated to helping service members who have lost their way more than once.

U.S. Navy veteran Robert "Red" Burrow is a living example of not giving up. Burrow used and sold drugs until a prison sentence and introduction to MACV changed his life. Now, he works to connect people to resources.

A certified peer recovery specialist at Recovery Community Network in St. Cloud, Burrow uses his life experiences to connect with all who call.

"How else are you going to get hope out there unless you tell your story," said Burrow.

Burrow's story started after a medical discharge put him back on the streets of his native Chicago and into a fast-paced lifestyle.

"I started civilian life and quickly got caught up in the drug world. I was a dirty junky street user so just daily habit struggle to find the money," said Burrow.

Burrow says for 10 years he wandered the streets feeding his habit. 

"Get the heroine and crack and whatever else I can get my hands on it was just groundhog day repeat the next day do the same thing," said Burrow.

He eventually sought help. 

"I ended up at a sober house one time and the guy said 'hey you are a veteran you should try the VA.' I didn't even know that my medical discharge got me any kind of benefits," Burrow said.

Those benefits got him access to treatment. 

"I found myself at another detox again and I told them okay I'm better, you can set me free now and they said well were not going to do that," said Burrow.

He burned every bridge in Illinois and was given a list of VA's across the country and told to pick one.

"And I saw this one on there that said St. Cloud and for some reason I said saint, maybe that is a sign. So long and short of it I ended up here in St. Cloud, Minnesota," Burrow said.

That was in 2009. Burrow says he did okay for a while.

"My personal life took a pretty big hit. I kind of went off the deep end thus began the second chapter of my drug use," Burrow said.

This time he was on the streets of St. Cloud.

"Up here in Minnesota I figured out a new way to fund my enterprise. If you sell it you can fund your usage," said Burrow.

A few drug sales to undercover cops landed Burrow in jail, facing serious charges. 

"I said you know we have tried everything else can you just send me to prison," said Burrow.

Burrow sat in prison for a year before being admitted into Camp Togo, a boot camp in northern Minnesota to help offenders get back on the right track.

When he graduated from the program, the department of corrections connected him with MACV. MACV got him into housing, and into a new chapter of life. 

"What I can say is that where I am right now is definitely because of the opportunity MACV gave me the gift that it was is not lost on me," Burrow said.

A job working in recovery has helped him help others through his story of never giving up.

Sober for four years, a new homeowner and a satisfying career, all thanks to MACV.

"I'm on the other side of things and I refer people to MACV and I get to see how they help people and its just amazing.Veterans are absolutely blessed to have an organization like MACV," said Burrow.

Burrow is currently a student at St. Cloud State University studying to be a drug counselor.

You can support WCCO's "Home for the Holidays" mission to help veterans like him by making a donation right now. Just text MAC-V to 44321. Or give online here.