Fayetteville's Hometown Hero on a Mission to Serve Veterans

Stacey Buckner, a Fayetteville resident and founder of the non-profit Off-Road Outreach, is in the running to become CNN’s National Hometown Hero of the Year. Employed at the VA Health Clinic, Buckner’s daily interactions with veterans have inspired her to dedicate herself to their well-being, even though she isn’t a veteran herself. Off-Road Outreach provides a range of support, from basic necessities like clothing and food to more specialized services such as peer support, employment resources, and financial assistance. WRAL reports that a highlight of her efforts is her Jeep, equipped with a mobile shower she calls "respectability on wheels," which brings dignity to veterans in need. Her outreach even includes a vegetable garden, with its produce donated to organizations serving homeless veterans. Buckner believes her support is reciprocal, saying, “They think that I am helping them, and they're really helping me.”