If you have been reading Hot Dog Cart News for any amount of time you will know that I am a huge supporter of American Veterans. I believe that each and every person who has served in the United States armed forces is a bona fide hero.
When I received a message from Dean Justin asking if I would help him publicize his effort to help some vets , it was a no-brainer.
Take it away Dean…
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All Dogslingers.. I am new to this and have started a company that will provide jobs and small business opportunities for our Veterans and Wounded Warriors. As you may well quess it involves Hot Dog vending!!! I read your inputs here daily and have learned alot. Right now, my focus is locally but anticipate and hope this will go nationwide. I am seeking any interests or advice that you may provide. This is in the beginning phase and concentration is in what kinds of carts, financing and how to penetrate to gain sponsorship for the project. My hopes are to gain support and sponsorship from various Veterans groups and The Wounded Warrior Project..
Thank you and keep up with the great work.
Dean Justin- Concessions For Veterans- Warrior Dawgs
713-256-5687 Porsche911930@aol.com
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Do any of you have any experience working with veterans groups? If so, maybe you can point Dean in the right direction by leaving a comment below.
Thanks for your help!
-Steve
P.S. As always, it is your responsibility to perform your own due diligence before donating to or getting involved with any charities or non-profits that you are not familiar with.
Steve! I know that a San francisco radio talk show Rick Robert at 760 kfmb is Big time into the wounded worrior foundation who generates millions would be interested. Here in Mpls I listen to his show Via the internet. Please have Dean contact him. Thanks alot for what you are doing for the Vets. Retired Sargent first Class Vega.
Great suggestion Tony! And I want to thank you for your service, we are indebted to you.
-Steve
Any Vet can have his hot dog cart business up, going and stocked for about 1000.00., perhaps some of the local churches would help by taking up a fund to build E-Z built hot dog carts and supplying them. I never looked back from my first day in business (200.00 in two hours) God Bless and thank you for all that you are doing! Wanda Swan/Dixie Kitchen
Radio! That’s the way to go! Find some that support the vets and tell the management what you’re trying to do. See if you can get an interview on the air. You’d be surprised how fast that can get things going. Steve, you did that for me on internet with your show. Maybe you could kick things off.
Dean,
Anything I can do to help, just point me in the direction you need to go…..just built my first cart this past summer…..I am a vietnam era vet….any one in uniform gets a free dog….at Homers Dog House…
my first two events were for fire and
rescue companies……..
Thanks to Steve for tying all of us together…..
Larry Sullivan
What Kind of help is being looked for? I have experience helping folks get carts here in florida .
Hi Steve,
Dean, have you checked wth the VA and with FMS departments in your different states. I’m in a program currently that help disabled Vets start, by helping them to get their license.
It always seems to help when a Vet. can get aid to start a new project, like the hot dogs business. Once established, the Vet. can help other Vets with setup or financing.
But I would suggest, going through the VA. There are a lot of Vets wondering what to do now, because being disabled?
Great idea Robin,
Dean – send me an email and we’ll set up an interview for you on my Hot Dog Cart Radio show.
-Steve
Thank YOU Larry!
-Steve
Great encouragement Wanda!
-Steve
Good to see you commenting here Jim. Your reputation precedes you!
-Steve
I am a veteran, and I like the idea of any trying to help. In some cases, we have a hard time accepting , or asking for help. But since being in touch with you web site, I have been given hope of very soon owning my own cart. Please keep me in your prayers. Also please, anyone on this thread, please keep me in the loop.
wow!!!…I want to thank all of you for your speedy replys and offers for help and encouragement..brings a tear to my eyes!!!..Just a thought….with all the support from coast to coast…could this be the beginning of a nationwide venture?????…I see and am committed to making this happen..once again I thank you……..Dean Justin…..713-256-5687
Porsche911930@aol.com
Concessions For Veterans- Warrior Dawgs
Steve, as a former veteran myself, I truly like this idea and I’m kicking myself in the head for not thinking of hiring a veteran myself! I’m very interested in this venture and would love more information once you get things going Dean. Feel free to email me @ steviesredhotwienies@yahoo.com. Thanks and good luck my friend!
Esteban Guzman
Stevie’s Red Hot Wienies
There are state and federal programs that can help vets and others to get Carts or trailers . For example if you have a service connected disability. and you can demonstrate an ability to run a biz as well as run the stand the VA can be talked into buying it for you. This also applies to the state rehabilitation programs. No you do not get the cart instantly you have to prove that you can do it as well as understand the nature of the biz and all the cost involved.
I am a non service connected disabled vet so I had to get creative in figuring it all out.
There are other ways of getting carts paid for also from the fed and state gov. also and I will start addressing them soon as well as getting contracts to work in places you never thought of.
I guess a bunch of us are Vets. I have been lucky, having served 23 years with two combat tours and being able to see a lot of this world. My way of helping is to donate my tips to the Augusta Warrior Project, 1190 Interstate Parkway, Augusta, GA 30909, http://www.AugustaWarriorProject.org. As of today I have donated $343.25 this year and I still have one more small donation to make. That may not sound like a lot but I feel that it is helping. The Augusta Warrior Project is a comprehensive source of services and opportunities for the Warrior (past or present military) community. They strive to be the “go-to” organization for Warriors who need assistance in critical life areas, such as housing, education, and health care. The AWP’s model of harnessing information flow and “thought leadership” with its partners, in order to effectively connect, educate, advocate, and collaborate for the benefit of Warriors, should be replicated from coast to coast.
Michael S. Wood
SFC, USA
Retired
Duggs Doggs
Good!! Good!!
Essayons!!
Dean, This sounds like you have a great idea to help our Vets out. I am sure you will have no problem getting support for it. You might want to start with your local police/sheriff dept, fire/rescue and various veteran organizations. Gregory is correct, try looking on the va.gov website also. They have the Patriot loans available that might benifit you. VETBIZ.gov might be worth looking into also. SGTDzz makes monthly donations to an organization called Operation Gratidude. They send care packages to military personnel overseas and also to wounded warriors in hospitals. That’s my way of giving back to the ones that were there for me and my guys oversees. There are many organizations just like Op.Grad. out there that might network with you. You just have to seek them out. I will be honored to advertize for you on my cart and website also as I’m sure others here at HDCN will too.(I know Steve. Pics and bio are on their way! been busy) Good Luck Dean and thanks for the inspiration!
Jeff Duncan
SGT D.zz Hot Dogzz
I would like to point out that the SBA has a express loan package for just Vets. They can borrow up to $35,000.00 dollars which is way more than needed. SCORE, SBA and SBDC offices will provide any other help needed. But the packages that Steve offers fills many of those needs
Petty Officer USN/USCG retired. I would welcome the opportunity to assist you out here in California. I first got interested in this dog slinging adventure when I was stationed at USCG Station Rio Vista, CA. I had the opportunity to meet a retired deputy sheriff who had a cart next to the Isleton Bridge. With Steve’s assitance and advice I completed a cart this Spring, and was successful in making through the moras, and frustrations of California Health and Safety Codes. And have doing quite well with it. Feel free to e-mail me at uscgchappy@yahoo.com
Steve….What great support from the slingers!!!..is there any way you might ask them, when they respond to comments that they might include a contact number or email address
I will be contacting you after the first of the year to take you up on your offer for the radio interview…I am still doing research and would want to be more organized at that time..Thank you very much,,,,Concessions For Veterans..
Steve, Excellent postings. There are programs for Disabled as well as Vets who were honorably discharged to get into biz with no license. In our biz they need a Health Cert but no license possibly.
I have in my possession the written documents on this for several States such as Indiana and Michigan. If anyone wants to find the info go to the Veterans Administration site as well as the specific county or city they want to sell in and research Vendors license, Veterans Licenses etc
The Federal Law came about after the Civil War and allows Veterans to sell and not need to get a license. Most Government agencies do not know of this law and that it is on their books. You do need to dig in and research it tho to find it. I am not a lawyer and just offering some info for my fellow Vets to look into.
Ken Houy
Sgt US ARMY Special Forces
( Airborne) Medic – Vietnam era
I am a former Marine and Vietnam Veteran who is 50% service connected and I live in California. I have been thinking about opening a hot dog cart business. I understand that in California veterans have some rights that other venders do not. Can anyone tell me what these rights are? Thanks and God Bless America
Hi Dean this Josh, from Indianapolis, IN, I see that you have a 1969 ice cream truck for sale I was wanting to know what would be your buy now price for the truck, because I like to buy it. My phone number is (317) 815-0815
Thanks.
Hello everyone,
I have recently retired after 26 years and thinking about starting a hot dog cart in the Wilmington NC area. The VA just opened a new clinic and I noticed there isn’t any food sold in the facility and I think it would be a great place to start.
Does anyone have any advice on where to start? Who to contact to get approval?
I have purchased an all american dog cart, but haven’t gotten my business license or the health department stamp yet.. I’m just getting started and any advice would be awesome..
Thank you all for the support you give to the vets..
MSG(R) Hunter
tiblierh@gmail.com
Hi Hunter,
I would just walk in to the clinic and ask to speak to the director. Go in person, do not use the phone. Dress business casual, bring a photo of your cart and a menu and see what they say. Good luck!