Honoring sacrifice by building something real.

Why We Exist

My father served in Vietnam. Years later, we lost him to an illness linked to Agent Orange — a cost of his service that followed him long after he came home. I wasn't called to serve. My generation are, in a sense, fortunate sons: we inherited the peace that veterans like my father paid for, without paying the same price ourselves.

I believe that debt is real, and that honoring it means more than words. Upward Spiral Foundation is how I've chosen to pay it forward — by offering veterans the opportunity to build something good for themselves and their families, for the rest of their lives.

A Trade Worth Teaching

I spent 11 years as a union painter with Local 1156, learning from some of the best in the business — residential, commercial, and industrial work. That trade gave me a stable, honest living, and it can do the same for the veterans who come through our program. This isn't a foundation built on good intentions alone; it's built on a real, marketable skill, taught by people who've actually done the work.

What We Believe

Every veteran who wants a useful trade should have a clear path to one — and their family should be part of that journey, not left behind by it. That belief shapes everything about how our program is built.