After the Uniform: How Marshall Found Support and Stability Through Habitat
Marshall Shull served 20 years in the United States Marine Corps, including deployments during Operation Enduring Freedom. He is a husband and father of two sons. In 2018, while still on active duty, the Shull family moved into their home in Clermont.
But when Marshall retired in 2019, he faced a new kind of battle—one without a roadmap or uniform.
Without a stable income and unable to access his military pension for another 6 years, Marshall began driving for Uber to make ends meet. He struggled with PTSD, depression, and the difficult transition to civilian life.
“I was struggling…mentally, emotionally, and financially. I was afraid for my family. I couldn’t do that to my boys.” – Marshall Shull
After years of uncertainty, Marshall finally received a 100% VA disability rating for PTSD. However, due to a clerical error from years earlier, the VA is currently reclaiming half of his disability benefits for a two-year period—causing further financial strain.
When Marshall reached out to Habitat Lake-Sumter’s Preservation & Repair Program, he was placed in our pipeline due to exhausted funding. The Shull family waited two more years for assistance. During that time, they filed for bankruptcy and came dangerously close to losing their home.
Then, a breakthrough came. Thanks to funding from VHRM and Publix, Habitat Lake-Sumter was able to provide the Shull family with a new roof and septic system—critical repairs that not only protected their home but also allowed them to maintain their insurance and mortgage.
And the support didn’t stop there. When Marshall was accepted into one of the top aviation programs in the country, he faced a new challenge: lacking a reliable computer for coursework. Thanks to Joe Maggio at Computer Central, Marshall received a donated laptop, giving him the tools he needs to begin the next phase of his career.
Marshall explains that “Things were really tough, and it was a very dark time for me. The organizations that stepped in to help us—including you guys [Habitat]—prevented us from being homeless. I would not have been able to do this on my own. Because of Habitat, I can keep my home and my coverage. Although we’re not out of the woods yet, I can finally see a clearing.”
For many veterans like Marshall, support services can be life-changing. That’s why Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter created the Veterans Housing Initiative—to help veterans and their families access housing solutions, whether through new home construction, critical repairs, or accessibility upgrades.
We also provide referrals to wrap-around services such as food security programs, health and wellness resources, and financial counseling.
Since launching in 2018 with the completion of the Umatilla Veterans Village, a 14-unit pocket neighborhood, our Veterans Housing Initiative has expanded across Lake and Sumter Counties.
Through this initiative, you can help us serve more veterans like Marshall—giving them the chance to rebuild, recover, and remain in the homes they’ve worked so hard to keep.
Join us in making a difference: habitatls.org