Some scars don’t heal—because they’re not supposed to. They remind us why we keep fighting.
That’s the message at the heart of We Fight Monsters, a grassroots movement in Memphis led by Ben Owen. What began as one man’s personal battle for survival has become a mission to reclaim lives, rebuild hope, and confront the darkest corners of addiction, homelessness, and exploitation.
“We Fight Monsters stands as a beacon of hope and defiance,” Ben says. “We navigate the night to bring back the lost. We stand in the face of evil not with weapons, but with unwavering belief in redemption and recovery.”
For Ben, that’s not a slogan. It’s a life.
From Survivor to Rescuer
Ben knows the people he fights for because he was those people.
Addicted. Homeless. Suicidal. Forgotten.
“For years, I was the wreckage people crossed the street to avoid,” Ben says. “No one thought I’d make it out. Including me.”
But after climbing out of addiction and poverty, Ben didn’t close the door behind him. He kicked it wide open.
“I decided if I ever got out, I’d go back for the ones who were still lost,” he says. “I’d fight the monsters I used to run from.”
Building a Team of Fighters
Ben didn’t just assemble a staff. He built a family.
“We Fight Monsters isn’t a charity,” he explains. “It’s solidarity. It’s people who’ve been to the bottom and clawed their way out, standing alongside those still in the fight.”
His team includes recovering addicts, veterans, law enforcement allies, and volunteers. Together, they’ve:
- Closed four fentanyl trafficking operations.
- Rescued women and children from active brothels.
- Provided safe housing for more than 450 people.
- Created a trauma and addiction treatment center in a building once known as the Home for the Incurables—a place that had symbolized despair, now transformed into a sanctuary of healing.
“This block broke me once,” Ben says quietly. “Now I’m making sure it becomes a place of healing, not heartbreak.”
“We’re Not Waiting for Permission”
In Memphis—and across the country—bureaucracy often moves at a glacial pace. But addiction, homelessness, and exploitation move fast.
“We’re not sitting around arguing about whose responsibility this is,” Ben says. “We’re out there. We fight.”
That fight means showing up in abandoned buildings. Confronting traffickers. Holding the hands of overdose survivors. And giving people who’ve fallen through every crack a real second chance.
“We don’t rescue people,” Ben explains. “We stand with them while they rescue themselves.”
New Alliances: PAIRS and Carrfour Supportive Housing
Recently, Ben met over Zoom with Seth Eisenberg, President and CEO of PAIRS Foundation, and Stephanie Berman, President and CEO of Carrfour Supportive Housing, Florida’s largest nonprofit developer and operator of supportive housing for formerly homeless individuals and families.
“Ben’s work—and the lives he’s helping to reclaim—are exactly why PAIRS exists,” Eisenberg said. “He’s not just helping people survive crisis. He’s helping them develop the emotional and relational skills to heal and thrive.”
Stephanie Berman added, “What Ben and his team are doing reflects the most effective models we’ve seen for breaking cycles of homelessness, trauma, and addiction. Carrfour is honored to offer technical support to help strengthen and sustain this remarkable work. The potential impact goes far beyond Memphis.”
“What Ben has built deserves national recognition and national support,” Eisenberg added. “It’s courageous, compassionate, and deeply human.”
Why the Fight Is So Hard
Ben is open about the struggle—not just with the work itself, but with the constant pressure to find funding.
“I’m not burned out on the mission,” he says. “I’m burned out on the begging.”
Running We Fight Monsters means more than kicking down doors and creating new beginnings. It means endless fundraising. Pleading with donors. Stretching every dollar to cover food, housing, security, transportation, legal advocacy, and trauma care.
“Recurring gifts mean I can spend less time chasing dollars and more time chasing traffickers and helping people rebuild their lives,” Ben says.
“Some days, the weight is crushing,” he admits. “It’s exhausting. It’s lonely. But I’m still in the fight. And if you’re still breathing—so are you.”
The Power of Community: Join the Fight
“We Fight Monsters has never been about one man’s mission,” Ben says. “It’s a movement. And the more people who stand with us, the stronger we are.”
Supporters can help in multiple ways:
- Donate: wefightmonsters.org/donate
- Shop: OnceAmerican.com, where every purchase supports rescue missions and recovery programs.
- Share: Spread the word by following and amplifying We Fight Monsters on social media.
“Every shirt sold is another middle finger to apathy,” Ben says. “Every coaster shipped is another lifeline thrown.”
“Evil thrives when good people do nothing. But together—we fight monsters.”
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