Our men and women in the military are strong and brave individuals. Sadly though, a lot of veterans face difficulties after they transition back into the regular world.
From mental health issues, to issues accessing health care and job opportunities, to finding and securing homes, veterans often deal with these struggles without much help. But a nonprofit in Kansas City, Missouri, decided to do something about that.
They created a miniature city within the city.
Comprised of 49 tiny homes in an area that covers just a few blocks of Kansas City, these houses create free living for any veterans who need a place to stay. Each house is between 240 to 320 square feet, so they are truly small, but the houses all meet local zoning laws and have full utilities.
These homes enable former soldiers to transition out of a life of houselessness and back into having some basic human necessities met.
Each vet gets a home of their own, all while being nestled in a neighborhood setting.
These houses come with the essentials. Each veteran is able to have a bed to sleep in, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a small living space. It’s just enough to make a person feel at home. The best part is that when the veteran is ready to move out, they get to take all the appliances they want with them. Each house is refurnished with new appliances every time a new veteran moves in.
To make the community seem even more fun and welcoming, the veterans are allowed to bring their dogs to live with them. A lot of the veterans have dogs, and as a result, there’s a lot of puppies to pet. The founders of Veterans Community Project credit the dogs with helping to create an even greater sense of warmth and community there.
None of it would have ever been possible without a caring community and volunteers with giant hearts.
This small city was built with the help of many volunteers. In fact, the Veterans Community Project estimates that 70% of the city was built by volunteers.
Additionally, the nonprofit that organized the city also trains case managers to help these veterans achieve success in various aspects of life. The case managers work with veterans on issues such as financial literacy, health and wellbeing, developing a personal support network, and finding employment. Many soldiers return from their tours with minimal to no support system, so this truly changes things for people.
Veterans Community Project is the nonprofit behind all this.
Veterans Community Project is a nonprofit that was formed by former combat veterans who know firsthand the challenges of reintegrating into civilian life. They are focused on improving the conditions of veterans around the Missouri area.
In Kansas City alone, they have both the VCP Village, and The Veteran Outreach Center, a walk-in building where veterans can receive free assistance with navigating aspects of veteran life. At the Outreach Center, veterans can seek help with accessing their VA benefits, get referrals for mental and physical health services, and access a food pantry, among many other supports.
Veterans who have been residents believe the community has helped change their lives for the better.
For some of them, the material assistance has been wonderful, but more importantly, the emotional support and kindness they receive through this program has impacted them too. One veteran said:
“I’ve never had anyone do anything for me. I’ve always been the one to do for my family and my friends – but this is incredible…Now how blessed can you be in this life?”
The nonprofit is helping improve people’s lives.
It’s incredible how much of a difference this little village is making for veterans – and hopefully, many more will pop up across the nation.
Check out the video below to learn more about this amazing project!
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