Born in Casa Grande, Arizona, Marcus Brown enlisted in the US Marine Corps at age 19. After serving in the infantry for 4 years, including deployments to Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, he pursued his BA in criminal justice at University of Phoenix and graduated from the City of Mesa Police Academy in 2014. While on duty, Marcus encountered many veterans who were in need of assistance after 5pm and on weekends, when government agencies were closed. Building on his experience as a member of the Marine Corps League, where he organized homeless veteran outreach projects, Marcus created Veterans 5-9, a nonprofit that provides rapid resolution for veterans no matter the time or the issue: hunger, emergency shelter, legal support for an eviction notice. In 2023, Marcus was inducted into the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame, and in 2024, Veterans 5-9 was awarded a grant from the Arizona Department of Veterans Services. Since February 2020, Veterans 5-9 has assisted more than 580 veterans and their families.
When did you conceive of/start doing Veterans 5-9 and what inspired you?
I started Veterans 5-9 in 2019 and we became a non-profit in 2020. I was volunteering for another non-profit, Marine Corps League, and we didn’t offer emergency services after hours. This became frustrating when we could only help veterans during the day. While I was on patrol, there was a veteran who needed transportation to the VA after hours and wasn’t able to get it. These factors led me to start Veterans 5–9.
How did your military experiences influence the work you’re doing?
In the military we’re all brothers and sisters. When you see one of your brothers or sisters suffering you want to help. Starting this non-profit was a way I could help my brothers and sisters overcome social barriers and live happy and productive lives. In the service, we shared camaraderie, and we helped each other through things. Now in civilian life, if I see a brother or sister suffering, I know I wouldn’t let that happen when I was in the service, why would I let it happen now?
What’s your favorite piece/project to date?
Operation Fix My Ride. Many times, a vet just needs a little of this or that. I realized it was the small things holding veterans back from success. In the case of a car, a tire, oil change, brake job, belts, or sparkplugs could mean the difference between going to work and missing work.
In 2024, my team and I decided to start Operation Fix My Ride. It was very successful and ran for several months. Seeing the gratitude and happiness of helping a fellow veteran makes me truly feel like I am doing my part and giving back to veterans.
Why do you believe Veterans 5-9 is an important contribution to the community, or what kind of impact do you think/hope your work will generate?
To me, our mission at Veterans 5-9 is important because these men and women served and fought for our country. If we can’t help them, then who can we help? I think the least we can do is give them a hand up when they need it.
From 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. means my phone is ringing 24/7. I don’t mind answering the phone 24/7. I decided that’s what I am going to do. What makes Veterans 5-9 special is that we always answer the phone. By letting a veteran get something off their chest, helping them put a plan in place, addressing their short- and long-term goals….That’s a phone call that puts the veteran at ease. They know somebody is listening and sometimes that’s the biggest difference.
What inspires you to continue?
What inspires me every day to keep going is trying to create something bigger than myself. Something I know that will do good in the world and help people in the worst of times. Bringing people out of those worst of times, and seeing their positive attitude is a feeling I can’t describe. My goal is for Veterans 5-9 to become a state program or replicated throughout the state in different cities.
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