ORANGE PARK – What does it take to change a life? Kind words? An act of generosity? A leap of faith? The benefit of the doubt? Is it giving someone the chance to prove themselves? Or does making an impact on someone else’s life start by making the necessary changes in your own?

For Rayland Heck, lead officer of Operation Barnabas, a nonprofit with the goal of helping veterans overcome substance abuse, homelessness, job insecurity, mental health problems and PTSD, being a changemaker started with overcoming obstacles he himself dealt with and sharing his story with others.

“I was in the army for 10 years, army ranger, sniper. I did Afghanistan once, and Iraq twice,” Heck said.

During his time overseas, Heck’s mother committed a murder-suicide, killing her son, husband and herself.

“I’ve hit rock bottom, but once you know the rock that you are standing on, then you can get to a better vantage point,” he said.

In that struggle, Heck ended up getting out of the military and moving to Jacksonville.

“Jacksonville just had a community that came around me and helped me get back on my feet,” he said. “And then I started doing work for charities and trying to help out in the community.”

After finding support through Operation Barnabas and befriending founder Trey Fagan and Pastor John Green, Heck built a brotherhood that would become the foundation of the mentorship program.

“That’s how Operation Barnabas took off. Being able to have a mentor, that brotherhood that we know in the military, and being able to build those relationships to provide hope and encouragement to at-risk Clay County Veterans and first responders,” Heck said. “Being able to encourage someone when the world is supposed to be against something, that’s our greatest strength.”

The mission of Operation Barnabas can be found in its name: Barnabas means the “Son of Encouragement,” a member of the Christian community in Jerusalem. In essence, Barnabas was known not for just offering a few words of encouragement or comfort, but for standing beside people in their darkest moments. Like Barnabas, Heck tells his story to connect with others, stand by them and join them in their struggles to ignite transformation in those striving to find purpose and meaning.

“People’s stories matter,” he said. “When someone is willing to listen to someone's story when they hit rock bottom when they are at their very worst, having someone who is willing to listen to them is huge. And that’s really that first part, where we see people come in and just open up and be a part of the community. That’s a very important part.”

A man of faith, Heck’s mission is to provide resources through Operation Barnabas and provide sanctuary for those in need. “The resources are there but a lot of Veterans don’t have a support system. They don’t have people looking after them. Even if they get to a resource, they may not know how to navigate through that resource. Or that resource doesn’t last very long and they come back from that still having a mentor or brotherhood. We are still there for the rest of the time.” Operation Barnabas works with Mercy Auto, Safe To Serve, Challenge Enterprise, Fort Grace and many other nonprofits to ensure that each veteran is getting the full support they deserve. In addition to the many services that Operation Barnabas provides, they also offer free housing through a partnership with Stay Suites of America.

“We have 10 rooms at any given time, which was a total game changer. We started off with maybe housing one veteran, and now we can house 10,” said Heck. “We’re not checking a block and running them through this long process. It’s not something that you have to do, we just want to assist and be there for them, and get them to a resource that they need. We can get them houses, cars, jobs, whatever they need.”

Heck said while Operation Barnabas is accepting of all people in their program, they do not simply provide free money and free services.

“We say that’s its hand-up, not a handout,” he said. “They have to apply themselves. For the ones that really want to get better, it’s amazing to see what they are capable of with the right support.”

Theresa Sapitan turned obstacles in her life into opportunities for growth. Several years after serving in the Army, she developed a serious drug habit.

“I was really depressed and I started self-medicating with pain medication and I lost my job because of it. My ex-husband and I had to break the lease on our new house. I had to find a new job. I went to rehab. I went to the VA hospital to get help with my depression. That was April or May of 2015.”

Sapitan eventually filed for a divorce. Sapitan then fell into a new relationship which ended up being very verbally, emotionally and financially abusive. After going to a domestic violence shelter in Jacksonville for three months,21 she ended up back with her ex-husband and got evicted from their house several days later.

“Prior to Operation Barnabas we were sleeping in a tent,” she said.

After struggling with homelessness, depression, drug addiction and emotional abuse, Theresa felt the world was crashing down around her.

“It was just one roadblock after another, so I decided I didn’t want to put up with it anymore. I didn’t want to be doing this anymore and there was no point because I was trying my hardest and I wasn’t getting anywhere, so I attempted to commit suicide. I overdosed with the intention of dying,” Sapitan said.

According to Heck, 22 veterans commit suicide everyday. That means a suicide every 65 minutes.

“Twenty-two veterans is not just a number,” said Fagan, a founder. “It’s not just names. It’s 22 stories. Twenty-two families. Twenty two souls.”

Luckly, it just takes one person to change a life.

“When I stabilized and alert and oriented, the hospital sent me to a mental health counselor. That’s how I heard about Operation Barnabas,” Sapitan said. “The hospital put me in touch with Pastor John who was in charge of getting people into the program. So he came to the hospital and met with me and said he wanted to help me. Honestly, the best thing that could have come out of that experience was Operation Barnabas.”

After two weeks at Orange Park, Sapitan checked into the Stays Suite on Wells Road.

“Operation Barnabas paid for a room for me there and they said it wasn’t the best place, it’s kind of dirty and the people that stay there aren’t the best people, but I didn’t care. I was just happy to have a bed, a roof over my head, and a shower,” she said.

With support from Operation Barnabas, Sapitan was able to get back on her feet, start a new job at Mission Barbecue, and is now working full-time as a receptionist for a Health Insurance Agency in Orange Park.

“The week before I started my new job at the Insurance Agency, Operation Barnabas surprised me with a car. Someone donated it and they decided to give it to me. I still have a hard time wrapping around it,” Sapitan said. “I have a hard time accepting that I am worthy of such kindness. I know that I am not less deserving just because I’ve suffered, but it’s just mind-blowing to me.”

Now that Sapitan has her basic needs met, she can set up a monthly recurring donation to Operation Barnabas.

“I have a long way to go, but being able to give back some makes me really happy,” she said.

Sapitan plans to get her bachelor's degree in human services and start working in substance abuse counseling. Despite the hardship that she’s faced, Theresa sees a silver lining. “Difficult life experiences have made me a stronger person,” she said. “We all have our own problems. You can use them as an excuse to continue to fail or you can use it as a motivation to do better, to be better, and help other people.”

Jordan Brimlow is a husband and father of three. He shared his story to encourage others that change is possible, although not always the easiest road.

“I served in the Army, went to Afghanistan,” said Brimlow. “I left the army in a bad way, we didn’t really see eye to eye when I got out. My family wasn’t there for me when I left, so I started a life of total self-destruction, drinking, drugging,” said Brimlow. To make some extra cash, Brimlow started selling drugs for the cartel.

“Then I was on the run as a fleeing felon fugitive. I got arrested a year after the initial warrant.” After struggling with substance abuse and being convicted of a felony, Brimlow ended up in jail.

“My wife left that day. The children left with her. I lost my whole family. The relationships that I had were tarnished. After 30 days, I realized that nobody was coming to get me,” he said.

On Father’s Day, Brimlow broke down in tears.

“My father wouldn’t answer me. I couldn’t talk to my son, and I remember praying to God,” he said.

“There was only one book in the whole dorm that I was in, and it was the Bible. It wasn’t there the day before. I took that Bible and held it for quite a while and repented. Next thing I know I get transferred to a veteran pod and I start to see an incline in my life. I started making improvements when I got out, to be a better man for my wife and kids.”

Brimlow started taking classes to become a certified welder. He also enrolled in mental health counseling and one on one peering counseling.

“Everyday we worked on something,” he said. “It was a process of recovery, and it was very very powerful in my success, to have that foundation set up first.”

After taking the first step towards rehabilitation, Brimlow began the process of reaching out to veteran-focused nonprofits.

“When I got out, I got on the phone with Pastor John. I was scared that if I told him that I was arrested he would turn me away because no one wants to help you when you have a criminal case going on, but I took a leap of faith,” Brimlow said. “Well, they put me up in a room of Stays Suites pretty soon after. I saw my kids for the first time, my wife. And I started the process of getting my life back together.”

Now, Brimlow helps other incarcerated veterans find resources after prison.

“Being a felon is not something that defines you, that makes you less trustworthy or unfit to work,” he said. “Felon is just a title. Just like veteran is just a title. It’s not an identity. It's not who a person is. Yes, I’m a veteran. I’m a felon, but it’s not who I am. I’m Jordan Brimlow. I just love my wife and my kids. I go to mixers in the community. I help out with the nonprofit side. I get to impact people and make a difference in my community.”

Now he’s going to college to get his associates degree in business.

“I’m going back to college to get my business degree so I help Operation Barnabas in that aspect, so I can help myself, but also other veterans,” he said. “Yes, I’m a felon but I broke the stigma. I broke the generational curse. Now school is a part of me that before would never have been possible. I’m setting myself up to be a part of my children’s future.”

What does it take to change a life? It just takes one person, someone who believes in your potential, someone who sees your potential, your will power, and trusts you to achieve your goals. Success is possible for everyone. You just have to reach for it,” Brimlow said.

“It’s there to be received. Not everyone receives it,” he said. “It’s there to be had. Not everyone wants it. It’s there to be given. Not everyone takes it. It is a hand up, not a handout. It’s not for everybody, but it is for some people. As long as one vet comes through and succeeds, that’s what it’s all about. As long as we can help just one veteran sitting in there somewhere who really wants to be better and needs are help and takes it, that makes all the difference.”

Operation Barnabas changes lives, one individual at a time. And sometimes, changing someone’s life ends up changing yours. If you want to be a changemaker, become a mentor or donate to Operation Barnabas.