KCMO is actually a role model with their Veterans Community Village, founded by Jason Kander. They provide housing in a community with wrap-around services.
Last year, my late husband's Army buddies wanted to do a fundraiser for him as he battled with cancer. As our healthcare was completely paid for, my husband compromised that we would do the fundraiser if money would go to the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans to help homeless veterans. It's another good organization the supports homeless vets. We were able to house 5 soldiers with the money that they raised and also send money to soldiers who were in danger of losing their homes. Even in the darkest days of cancer, my veteran was still thinking of others.
Thank you to your family for their service. My step father was a veteran and also died from war related illnesses. He was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam.
Thank you for also posting awareness on this topic.
Tunnels to Towers is an excellent foundation nationwide that is building communities for homeless Veterans and providing services to end the cycle of homelessness. They just broke ground last week in Denver to turn an old hotel into over 100 apartments for Homeless Veterans. There are others they have already built and more in the process of being opened. Thank you Sharon for this post!
If you live. In Northern California, this is a fantastic place that is being built in my valley in the redwoods for our Veterans to live and hopefully thrive. They opened a couple of years ago to their first residence and are continuing to build cabins and improve the property. https://vetsvillage.org/
Thank you for sharing this heartfelt, important message. Just made a donation to our local veterans’ assistance organization in Grand Junction and Montrose, Colorado—Welcome Home Alliance for Veterans, whafv.org. We are honored to support their mission as they support veterans in our community.
Another issue is getting veterans to accept shelter. The police chief in our large city said we have enough shelters to house our homeless population, even the non vet homeless but many won’t take advantage of them. There are conditions attached to the shelters like no drugs or alcohol etc….so most won’t accept the help except in cases of extreme cold weather. We have many groups that distribute care bags to the homeless including our church but that seems to be the most help that most of them want. Wish we could do more.
Porchlight, Inc provides homelessness services to veterans in the Madison, WI area. Sharon, thank you for the call to action this morning. I would have just posted the photos of my dad and his brothers on Facebook, thanking them and all veterans for their service. I'm still a little bit stuck in my disappointment and frustration over the election results but I've been making donations and supporting folks that are trying to make a difference. I know the antidote to how I am feeling is action. I need to do more than make donations but this is a good place to start. Thanks for providing this inspiration.
I recently started working for a non-profit clinic that also operates a transitional housing program, and this job has really changed my perspective on homelessness and what real support looks like. It’s amazing what good we can do when we treat people like people and not like problems. Thank you for sharing this, Sharon!
If anyone is in Northern Nevada, check out Northern Nevada HOPES. We don’t just serve veterans, but they’re definitely part of the vulnerable populations we care for.
Love this whole thing. I’m a Hennepin County resident and remember when this became a stated goal. Nice to see positive recognition for action in Minneapolis and surrounding cities.
I’m a Social Democrat. By that I don’t mean I’m more likely to sit down to have a beer with someone (although I probably am!) but that I don’t understand why more money doesn’t exist to help veterans but we have plenty of money to pay actors $1 million+ for each sitcom episode, to pay professional athletes $50 million per year to play a game, to pay CEOs hundreds of times what their workers make, to spend literally billions on political ads and political contributions and to have an economy where so many companies, venture capitalists and investment bankers are raking in record profits. And the idea is to keep strangling the IRS and cut taxes and revenues even more? I guess veterans will have to wait longer for the aid they need and deserve trickles down from somewhere. It’s not right.
Thank you! This is great Sharon! I volunteer for veterans at meals on wheels and providing food for the homeless. It is a deep shame that our country has not provided the resources our Veterans need. I give to the Veterans Home, to homeless providers and to the D.A.V. My grandfather, father, uncle and three cousins were, and are, veterans. All were injured during their service.
KCMO is actually a role model with their Veterans Community Village, founded by Jason Kander. They provide housing in a community with wrap-around services.
https://www.veteranscommunityproject.org/about-vcp
Last year, my late husband's Army buddies wanted to do a fundraiser for him as he battled with cancer. As our healthcare was completely paid for, my husband compromised that we would do the fundraiser if money would go to the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans to help homeless veterans. It's another good organization the supports homeless vets. We were able to house 5 soldiers with the money that they raised and also send money to soldiers who were in danger of losing their homes. Even in the darkest days of cancer, my veteran was still thinking of others.
The interactive map is amazing—found a homeless shelter serving veterans in my community. As always, thank you for organizing us!
Thank you to your family for their service. My step father was a veteran and also died from war related illnesses. He was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam.
Thank you for also posting awareness on this topic.
I know this isn’t specifically for homes for vets - but love this charity to help vets with a service dog
https://www.healing4heroes.org
Tunnels to Towers is an excellent foundation nationwide that is building communities for homeless Veterans and providing services to end the cycle of homelessness. They just broke ground last week in Denver to turn an old hotel into over 100 apartments for Homeless Veterans. There are others they have already built and more in the process of being opened. Thank you Sharon for this post!
https://t2t.org
If you live. In Northern California, this is a fantastic place that is being built in my valley in the redwoods for our Veterans to live and hopefully thrive. They opened a couple of years ago to their first residence and are continuing to build cabins and improve the property. https://vetsvillage.org/
I’m in the Sacramento area so I’ll check into this! Thanks 🙏🏼
Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for the map! I used it to find a location in my area and donated in honor of my grandfather, who lied about his age to serve in World War 2.
Wow, you’re both marvelous humans. 🥰
Thank you for sharing this heartfelt, important message. Just made a donation to our local veterans’ assistance organization in Grand Junction and Montrose, Colorado—Welcome Home Alliance for Veterans, whafv.org. We are honored to support their mission as they support veterans in our community.
Another issue is getting veterans to accept shelter. The police chief in our large city said we have enough shelters to house our homeless population, even the non vet homeless but many won’t take advantage of them. There are conditions attached to the shelters like no drugs or alcohol etc….so most won’t accept the help except in cases of extreme cold weather. We have many groups that distribute care bags to the homeless including our church but that seems to be the most help that most of them want. Wish we could do more.
We can do more! The answer is low-barrier shelters. Like Sharon said, housing is not a “reward” for meeting criteria. It is a right.
Porchlight, Inc provides homelessness services to veterans in the Madison, WI area. Sharon, thank you for the call to action this morning. I would have just posted the photos of my dad and his brothers on Facebook, thanking them and all veterans for their service. I'm still a little bit stuck in my disappointment and frustration over the election results but I've been making donations and supporting folks that are trying to make a difference. I know the antidote to how I am feeling is action. I need to do more than make donations but this is a good place to start. Thanks for providing this inspiration.
https://porchlightinc.org/
I recently started working for a non-profit clinic that also operates a transitional housing program, and this job has really changed my perspective on homelessness and what real support looks like. It’s amazing what good we can do when we treat people like people and not like problems. Thank you for sharing this, Sharon!
If anyone is in Northern Nevada, check out Northern Nevada HOPES. We don’t just serve veterans, but they’re definitely part of the vulnerable populations we care for.
Love this whole thing. I’m a Hennepin County resident and remember when this became a stated goal. Nice to see positive recognition for action in Minneapolis and surrounding cities.
I’m a Social Democrat. By that I don’t mean I’m more likely to sit down to have a beer with someone (although I probably am!) but that I don’t understand why more money doesn’t exist to help veterans but we have plenty of money to pay actors $1 million+ for each sitcom episode, to pay professional athletes $50 million per year to play a game, to pay CEOs hundreds of times what their workers make, to spend literally billions on political ads and political contributions and to have an economy where so many companies, venture capitalists and investment bankers are raking in record profits. And the idea is to keep strangling the IRS and cut taxes and revenues even more? I guess veterans will have to wait longer for the aid they need and deserve trickles down from somewhere. It’s not right.
Thank you! This is great Sharon! I volunteer for veterans at meals on wheels and providing food for the homeless. It is a deep shame that our country has not provided the resources our Veterans need. I give to the Veterans Home, to homeless providers and to the D.A.V. My grandfather, father, uncle and three cousins were, and are, veterans. All were injured during their service.
Thank you for a brilliant suggestion!!! This will be what I do from now on for every military holiday!!
Thank you, Sharon . I love when you focus us on a need.