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<\/a><\/p>\nStories of Honor is a Fort Worth Report weekly series spotlighting 12 Tarrant County veterans<\/a> who are serving beyond the uniform.<\/p>\n We also are highlighting nonprofits<\/a> recommended by the veterans.<\/p>\n In November, the veterans will gather for a luncheon where the Report will honor their service at the National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a no-brainer for me,\u201d Leone said. \u201cI woke up and knew that his mission was mine. It was something bigger than all of us, and it needed to continue.\u201d<\/p>\n Anna, who had built a career in hospitality, stepped into the role of executive director and committed herself to expanding her father\u2019s vision.<\/p>\n At its core, VetStarts works to pierce the darkness of veteran suicide. Its programs combine coaching, camaraderie and creative expression to help veterans and their families move forward with meaning \u2014 exactly what Leone\u2019s father sought to accomplish.<\/p>\n \u201cHe wanted anyone leaving the service and entering the civilian sector to know that they were loved, that they had value, purpose and potential,\u201d Leone said.<\/p>\n One of VetStarts\u2019 flagship programs is Halftime for Veterans, an initiative helping participants break free from being defined only by their military career and encourages them to pursue their passions in life.\u00a0<\/p>\n Another program, Warrior Art, is a therapeutic effort, both clinical and nonclinical, that allows veterans and their families to process trauma and emotions through creativity.\u00a0<\/p>\n VetStarts actively organizes mission adventures, when funding permits, deploying veterans to places like Mexico and Costa Rica to build homes for families in poverty. Each house is dedicated to the memory of a service member lost in combat or by suicide.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re creating generational change, and it\u2019s a beautiful thing,\u201d Leone said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The work has not come without challenges. The organization lost its Arlington office last year and now relies on community partners, like the Arlington Vet Center and American Outlaw Barbershop, to host programs.\u00a0<\/p>\n Leone remains determined that her team will soon find a new home.\u00a0<\/p>\n For board member Michael Dailey, a retired Army and combat veteran, VetStarts meets a need he knows all too well.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAs veterans, we get out of service and we leave everything we know and love behind,\u201d Dailey said. \u201cThat transition is not easy. VetStarts gives veterans a place to call home and to be surrounded by comrades again.\u201d<\/p>\n Dailey said he has seen firsthand how the organization provides more than just support \u2014 it helps veterans rediscover their strengths and translate them into civilian life. He recalled one veteran who went to VetStarts broken, facing legal issues and mental health struggles.\u00a0<\/p>\n With the nonprofit\u2019s help, that man not only found stability but became a successful business owner in the community.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes they just need somebody to believe in them and give them an opportunity,\u201d Dailey said.\u00a0<\/p>\n U.S. Marine Corps veteran Bryant Griffith said he found that opportunity through the nonprofit and entered Halftime for Veterans under Leone\u2019s coaching.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe program was a catalyst,\u201d Griffith said. \u201cIt helped me rediscover my purpose. My time with Anna helped me understand what was missing in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n For Griffith, like many others, VetStarts was life-changing \u2014 connecting him to business leaders, mentors and a community that helped him pursue new goals.\u00a0<\/p>\n The impact is what drives Leone to push forward. She said the work heals her as well.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe beautiful thing about what he was doing and healing other veterans was I was watching him heal too,\u201d Leone said about her father. \u201cSeeing the impact his own mission had on himself was a beautiful thing.\u201d<\/p>\n Vince Leone\u2019s idea started as a grassroots effort. Today, carried on by his daughter, it remains a lifeline for veterans seeking a sense of belonging and purpose.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the honor of my life to continue doing that,\u201d Anna Leone said.<\/p>\n Orlando Torres is a reporting fellow for the Fort Worth Report.<\/p>\n At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n Republish This Story<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_1554.jpg\")
VetStarts organizes mission adventures, when funding permits, deploying veterans to build homes in places like Mexico and Costa Rica for families in poverty, dedicating each to a fallen service member. (Courtesy photo | Anna Leone)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_4460.jpg\")
A volunteer shows off her painting through Warrior Art, a VetStarts program. The program has clinical and nonclinical therapeutic offerings. (Courtesy photo | Anna Leone)<\/p>\n
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