DENTON, Texas — After more than a decade of service in the Unites States military, David Jordan found himself homeless five years ago.
But he found a way out of that period of his life and now has a new mission: he wants to help other veterans do the same.
He opened Patriot Sandwich Company in Denton last week to do just that, all while serving up a great sandwich.
“I wanted to give people a good deli-style sandwich because it is a lost art,” said Jordan, who has become somewhat of a culinary craftsman. “I have eight custom sauces I made myself.”
But no matter how great the food, Patriot Sandwich Company is serving something bigger.
Jordan also runs We Got Your Six, a non-profit organization to aid homeless veterans in the North Texas area get a roof over their heads and find jobs. The restaurant is a means for Jordan to help more of them.
“I created the shop as a way to make monthly donations.”
The restaurant’s décor pays homage to Jordan's military past, filled with military memorabilia Jordan has collected over the years, including sentimental items and pictures from his own service.
The tables hold custom-made shadow boxes containing items like Vietnam-era canteens and early 20th Century cavalry spurs.
“I wanted to bring history to life,” he said. “People are not teaching the history of our military anymore.”
All branches of the military are represented throughout the shop, from the iconic “yellow footprints” of the Marines to the model military aircraft hanging from the ceiling.
Yet, the food and memorabilia only compliment Jordan’s biggest goal: the help our veterans.
The We Got Your Six website said the organization is planning to create three ranches in Texas that will house homeless veterans and teach them how to harvest their own food. Any food not used on the ranch will be sold at farmers markets to raise money for the charity.
To learn more about the non-profit, click here.