Today we’d like to introduce you to John Kelty.
Hi John, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Sure. As a disabled combat veteran myself, having experienced the highs and lows of military service and the isolation and identity loss that comes with that after the fact, as well as having seen multiple brothers I served with experience similar hardships, I had long had it on my heart to formally do something to try and find a lane where I could stand in the gap for veterans and their families.
Starting this mission, Shield Down, had been something long in the works before I ever filed with the state of Texas. Eventually, I was causing myself pain by not pulling the trigger on starting this.
I filed in June of 2024 and formally launched to the public in November 2024, so I consider November our anniversary. In the time since we launched, we have been incredibly grateful not just for the support we have received, but the way the Lord has been able to connect us with those who need us. Whether it’s hosting development workshops, providing financial aid for widows left behind or veterans in a hardship, or honoring the dead through various activities, 2025 was an incredible year for those who trusted us with their donations and those who trusted us to raise their hand and say they need help.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It absolutely has not been a smooth road. But isn’t that life? In the first few months of 2025, it felt like we were ready for opportunities to lean in and make a difference, but we didn’t have a lot of inquiries.
The beauty of that is it forced us early on to realize that we can’t expect people to come to us because we exist. You have to meet the people where they are. So then we quickly thereafter learned that the more you actively get out in the community and discover needs and create relationships and connections to those in need.
If there are no simpler terms, it taught us that love is a verb.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
From a career standpoint, I am an HR professional and have been for close to 10 years. With Shield Down, I may be the Founder & CEO but this is all volunteer. We purposefully have no employees. Our overhead and operating costs are as minimal as possible to give our donors the peace of mind knowing that everything they give us goes to the mission.
What matters most to you?
What matters most to me is that people have hope. Where there is hope, there can be growth. The story of Veterans and of Gold Star and White Star families is too often “you poor soul”. And yes, some things that happen in this community are tragic. But we don’t want the message to simply be one of surviving, but thriving. Veterans and their families have so much to offer their communities, to offer their families, to offer themselves. Sometimes, they just need somebody willing to walk into the fire with them to see that for themselves.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shielddown.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shield.down?igsh=MTZqYXZlY2l2eXBzOA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BrwdoCtEU/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shield-down/
- Twitter: https://x.com/shield_down?s=21
- Other: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/help-us-change-lives-of-veterans-and-veteran-families
