Tiny house community puts roofs over homeless veterans

Veterans Community Project of Sioux Falls is breaking floor on its future dwelling within the northwest a part of city. The nonprofit is on a mission to finish veteran homelessness. It contributes to the trigger by offering a spot to dwell and providers providing assist.

“We’re building 25 tiny houses with 10 of them being family units,” Eric Gage, VCP of Sioux Falls govt director, mentioned.

Gage grew up within the Sioux Falls, South Dakota space and is a 12-year veteran of the South Dakota Air National Guard.

“One veteran living on the street is too many. We really strive to serve the entire veteran population and make sure that none of our brothers and sisters are homeless or at the risk of becoming homeless,” Gage added.

According to VCP, based in 2015 by fight veterans in Kansas City, the veteran inhabitants is 2 occasions extra prone to change into chronically homeless than different teams of individuals.

Sanford Health sponsoring a house

Honoring veterans and energetic navy, together with caring for them, is a excessive precedence for Sanford Health and the Good Samaritan Society.

“Sanford Health is committed to being the provider of choice and the employer of choice for our military and veterans. How cool is it to be able to celebrate Veterans Community Project at Sanford Health?” Stacy Wrightsman, Sanford Health senior director of community relations, mentioned on the groundbreaking.

VCP Village’s household models can sleep as much as seven individuals. Individual models are 240 sq. toes and embody a totally useful kitchen and toilet.

“Sanford is sponsoring one of these tiny houses that’s going to, very soon, put a roof over someone’s head who needs it and also provide all of those wraparound services. So we can fully support and sustain these veterans and their families to transition into permanent housing,” Wrightsman mentioned.

The properties will encompass a “base camp” offering medical, dental and veterinarian places of work. The middle may even have a fellowship corridor and different assist providers.

“Right in the heart of our village is our village center, which is a more or less a commercial office building. Out of that we will offer all of our services. It’s where we will work. It’s where our case workers will operate out of to serve our residents,” Gage mentioned.

Currently, the typical size of keep for veterans at different VCP villages is 10 months.

‘Support from community has been crazy’

Gage says the phrase “project” is in VCP’s title as a result of the work won’t ever be achieved. He provides it should want the community to take part to achieve success. So far, so good.

“The amount of support from the community has been crazy. All of our houses have a sponsor.”

Gage is particularly pleased with Sanford Health’s involvement.

“We’re excited to have such a pillar of our community here in Sioux Falls to be part of our village.”

Site preparation takes place subsequent, making means for development afterward. Once that work is underway, Gage invitations these all in favour of serving to to volunteer at the village. It’s situated at 376 N. Willow Ave. in Sioux Falls.

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Community, Sioux Falls, Veterans