Veterans Community Project

Are you responsible for office gifts this holiday season? Consider one that also helps give Veterans in your community the dignity of home. This gift box includes four Bravo Bravo Que sauces handcrafted by award-winning pitmasters, our popular Veterans Community Project classic tee, and a bonus wristband. Order today on Black Friday using the promo code Friday2024 to get 20% off your order while supplies last! https://lnkd.in/gS6PBZQe

Together as we continue moving forward on our mission to fix Veteran homelessness, it’s also important to reflect for a moment on days like today. Because of your support, there are previously homeless Veterans who are in their own home right now, with a turkey in the oven, getting ready to sit down with their family for Thanksgiving. And that's pretty remarkable. Thank you for all that you do.

This holiday season, can you help Theresa and John Smythe? So far in 2024, the Smythes have spent more than 1,000 hours volunteering at Veterans Community Project helping at-risk and in-crisis Veterans in moments of urgent need. Each and every one of those hours is in memory of their son Johnny. Johnny was a proud National Guardsman who, unfortunately, experienced health challenges that led to him being medically disqualified from deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq. Tragically, later in life, this led to resource groups turning him away when he asked for help as those health challenges worsened and prevented him from sustaining employment. Time and time again, he was told, “You are technically not a Veteran.” Despite these frustrations, Johnny remained dedicated to helping other Veterans in need, from establishing an online gaming site to volunteering with a suicide prevention hotline. All the while, he continued to seek answers and treatments for increasingly serious health conditions. It was three years ago when his heart, the one that had given so much to others, stopped beating. Johnny was 32 years old. It was at his funeral where a family member told Theresa and John about VCP. Soon after, on a tour, they asked an important question: “What is a Veteran to you?” The combat Veteran founders told them VCP would help anyone who raised their hand and took the oath to serve, without exception. “This answer touched our hearts,” says Theresa. “It is exactly the type of place that would have been there for Johnny. So now, this is our place.” They explain that, without their personal support as his parents, Johnny would have experienced homelessness. At VCP, they say that they see him in who they serve and that their volunteering is a continuation of his mission to help Vets in need. This holiday season, can you help Theresa and John fulfill that mission? Your contribution is a tribute to Johnny and an investment in a proven model with a radically effective 85% success rate of transitioning Veterans from experiencing homelessness to achieving permanent housing. Please, consider enlisting in this mission with a gift before the end of the year. https://lnkd.in/g8ZyMu7e

#LowesHometowns is a national grant program by a Fortune 50 company. Its largest grant was delivered to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where a group of fix-it citizens is working to give the dignity of home to Veterans in need. We salute you, Lowe's Companies, Inc. Thank you for investing in our proven model for fixing Veteran homelessness. https://lnkd.in/gdaN_Cx6

This week as you give thanks, you should know that there are others out there giving thanks for you. Here is what a U.S. Army Veteran had to say a few days after recently moving into his 240-square-foot home at Veterans Community Project. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Today, we’re raising a mile-high salute to the thousands of people who've made this moment possible. Thanks to your incredible support, Veterans Community Project of Longmont has reached a major fundraising milestone and will soon be able to provide the dignity of home to more Veterans experiencing homelessness in Colorado. https://lnkd.in/grMRtakp

On a scale of 1 to 10, U.S. Air Force Veteran Jerry said he was an emphatic '10!' about moving into his new 240-square-foot home at Veterans Community Project yesterday. Before he was referred to VCP by the VA, the 72-year-old experienced homelessness and was couch-surfing with family and friends. So, naturally, the first thing he did after opening the door was send them a picture of his new place. "I'm so proud of you, Dad," his daughter quickly responded. While at VCP, Jerry's goals with his case manager include gaining access to VA benefits and finding long-term senior housing. The self-described lawn care nut is also looking forward to helping out the grounds crew around his perimeter. His commitment, literally speaking, is that the grass will be greener on the other side of his stay. Welcome home. Jerry.

Thank you to the Kansas City Chiefs Women’s Organization for coming out to Veterans Community Project last week for a tour of VCP Village and to volunteer packing food boxes for Veterans in need. And a big thank you to GEHA Health and the Hunt Family Foundation, which presented an impactful contribution from the 50/50 Raffle at last week’s “Salute to Service” game at Arrowhead Stadium. Together, we can fix Veteran homelessness.

For U.S. Navy Veteran and Veterans Community Project resident Lucia, transportation has been a big problem for a long time. Her lack of a reliable vehicle led to difficulty maintaining stable employment, in large part due to navigating hours-long, late-night commutes on public transportation. Well that all changed this week, thanks to her VCP case management team working with Progressive Insurance to have a pickup truck donated as part of a nationwide program. Getting the keys is a final step for Lucia to be ready to move out of her 240-square-foot tiny home at VCP Village next week. The truck is a fit for her future plans, too, working in sustainable agriculture. She says, though, that it’s not the only thing she’s moving out with that she didn’t have when moving in, explaining, “I feel like I finally found a community that cares about me.” Indeed, Lucia. We wish you fair winds and following seas.

Thank you to Scott Credit Union, Schnuck Markets, Inc., KMOV-TV and all of you who came out for this event. We’re yet again in awe of the kindness of our community and how you rally together to support Veterans. It was also moving to hear Veteran and Schnucks employee Cameron tell KMOV, “I'm trying not to get emotional... I wish this stuff existed when I was getting out. I was homeless for a time. I was lucky enough that I had a support structure to fall back on. But I understand that not everybody has that.” At VCP, our support structure is built by all of you. Thank you. https://lnkd.in/gPEq2tem