‘I feel defeated’: Nonprofit Operation Phantom Support closes its doors in Killeen
KILLEEN, Texas (KWTX) - For more than a decade, Operation Phantom Support has made a huge impact in the community.
Now, the building it called home off 8th Street in downtown Killeen is going to someone else because the charity has all but shut down.
Since 2014, Operation Phantom Support has made it its mission to help alleviate some of the financial burden for military and first responder families.
“We had a food pantry, we had a free Christmas toy program, backpacks for school, car repair, tire replacement, adult special needs program, an employment program for a while,” said John Valentine, founder of Operation Phantom Support. “So, we did a lot things that just encompassed a lot.”
Now, the once thriving charity is closing its doors due to a lack of funding.
It’s a heartbreaking moment for OPS founder John Valentine.
“It’s very disappointing and it’s very depressing,” said Valentine. “I feel defeated, but I also feel, I don’t want to say liberated but I want to say, I feel accomplished because I know I did a lot. Feeding 1.3-million people, having 364,000 soldiers and veterans walk through my doors to get help, and they all got help.”
Some of those veterans taking the time to stop by and say thank you as OPS gives away everything they were once selling in their thrift store.
“He was helping everybody out,” said Oscar Pena, a veteran once helped by OPS. “Not only the veterans, but it was also the community in general. I feel sad that this is closing down forever.”
Pena his whole family, was shocked to hear the place that once helped them had to stop that important work.
“I never expected it myself, not even my wife or my kids,” said Pena. “We brought my kids on Saturday, and they were almost about to cry.”
While the building that housed the thrift store and most of the charity programs has been sold, they are keeping the building that housed the program for adults with special needs.
It’s light at the end of a decade long tunnel.
“They’ll have enough funds to manage that for the next few years,” said Valentine. “Plus, the people that are still donating to the charity, the money that’s raised though the charity will go to them to help manage the program. So, that’s what we’re going to do.”
Even though Operation Phantom Support is officially closing its doors, the Infinite Possibilities program they started for adults with special needs isn’t going anywhere.
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