LONDONDERRY, N.H. — A combat veteran of the United States Coast Guard, Dennis Martin found himself homeless less than a year after he was honorably discharged in 1983.
He spent months bouncing from couch to couch and pitching tents before turning to local veteran agencies on Cape Cod to help him. They housed him, set him up with food stamps and local food pantries and connected him with other combat veterans.
In an effort to give back to the veteran organizations that helped him and support combat veterans like himself, Martin organized a Blues Festival fundraiser in Londonderry in 2014. On Aug. 23, the festival returns to town for its 11th year.
“The reason I really started this was because I was a homeless veteran during the Gulf War time and I had help from other veterans and I thought it was my turn to help now,” Martin said.
Martin’s band, Dr. Harp’s Blues Revue Band, will headline the event, followed by the X Band and the Lee and Dr. G Band from noon to 4 p.m. on the Town Common, 265 Mammoth Road.
Festival-goers will have their choice of food offerings from Smokin’ Spank’s BBQ food truck and Scoop’s Out Ice Cream while perusing the various artisan and vendor booths.
The festival is free for those who want to come and listen to music, support veterans and seek help for themselves. Donations are not required, but they are encouraged.
All proceeds benefit the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association NH5-1, a nonprofit commanded by Matt Verhelle that raises funds to help veterans in the community. The Blues Festival is one of the nonprofit’s largest events of the year, raising between $2,500 and $3,000, he said.
Like Martin, who is now 66, many combat veterans struggle with undiagnosed post traumatic stress disorder. For Martin, this made it hard for him to keep a job and support himself, he said.
“I had jobs but I had PTSD and I didn’t know it at that time that I even had it,” Martin said. “It was never really talked about and I had kind of a hard time holding jobs down and so forth.”
Through his experience, he met other homeless veterans who suggested turning to organizations like the Salvation Army and the Vietnam Veterans to help him find a place to live and get into programs that would support him financially and provide resources.
“I can’t say where I’d be without them,” Martin says. “I was blessed that I had them behind me to help me out. Now, you can get help, especially in New Hampshire. If you’re a homeless veteran now, it’s because you choose to be.”
Tired of living the way he was living and with the continued support of the veteran community, Martin relocated to a one-bedroom apartment in Concord to be closer to his daughters. Nine months later, he met his wife and moved into her home in Londonderry where he’s lived since.
“Here I was, living in Londonderry and up the street they have a bandstand never being used and I said, ‘You know what? I think I’ll do a Blues Festival here every year and ask for donations,’” Martin said.
In it’s first year, the festival raised $1,000, which he donated to the Liberty House in Manchester before partnering with CMVA. At the festival, both veterans and families and friends who care for veterans can access resources to help them support themselves and their loved ones.
“If you come to the Blues Festival and you’re a homeless veteran, we’ll find you a place,” Martin said.