Veterans Community Project

09/01/2026

After doing a little jig in the lobby of our Village Center, U.S. Army Veteran Eric put on his sunglasses before walking to his tiny home for the first time. Not only because it was a sunny, 100-degree day, but “in case I need them to hold back tears.”

Well, it didn’t work. The moment the former 82nd Airborne paratrooper stepped through the door, he pulled off his shades and broke down crying. As he hugged his case manager, he explained: “This is so overwhelming... I want you to tell everybody this: ‘THANK YOU.’”

That emotion marked a turning point after a period of instability. After a rent increase put Eric in a spot in which he would no longer be able to afford his home, he took a calculated risk on a maintenance role at a hotel that required him to live on site. But after new management took over and laid off staff, he was suddenly left without a job or a home.

It was then, however, that he remembered Veterans Community Project, where years prior he had gotten a bus pass, and he walked through our doors again to ask for help. “From there, it was like boom, boom, boom, boom—good things started happening,” he smiles.

That momentum has continued since the emotional move-in day two weeks ago. With the space to “breathe, relax, and focus,” Eric is already making progress toward his goals, including securing a new industrial maintenance job and working with his case manager to stabilize his finances.

So today, Eric points out that those sunglasses of his are taking on yet another new meaning. Because now, as he puts them on and steps out of his tiny home, “I can see a bright future.”

08/28/2026

Hi guys! Let's collaborate! I am starting "Spartan, on your feet". A program that will give a new RV to a homeless veteran, train them on our security system, and give them jobs travelling around selling/installing systems, once they are back on their feet, we want to help them build their dreams. And repeat.
I could see this leading to veteran RV parks that become incubators for entrepreneurial veterans to support each other on their journey!
Let me know if you guys are interested!
Thanks!

08/21/2026

This just in: Veterans Community Project stickers are now on sale.

And VCP Co-Founder Brandonn Mixon’s been preparing for the launch watching Flex Seal infomercials on YouTube. Yup, we’re coming for you, Philip Swift.

Of course, we’re really only trying to fix one thing with these stickers: Veteran homelessness. And when you slap one on your water bottle, laptop, or car, so are you.

Ready to put one to work? Supplies are limited, so grab yours at our product tag in this post or our link in the comments while they last.

08/18/2026

This morning, things are looking up in Arizona, and looking down in Wisconsin. But if you ask us, they're both pointing in the same direction: forward.

Over the past month, Veterans Community Project of Glendale construction has gone vertical with the start of our Village Center building where future Veteran residents will work with case managers to transform their lives. Soon, work will begin on the 50 tiny homes of the Village.

Meanwhile at Veterans Community Project of Milwaukee, horizontal infrastructure is now well underway, constructing the essential underground work for the Village Center and 40 tiny homes in that Village.

Together, that progress means that we're one step closer to fixing Veteran homelessness nationwide. Do you want to get involved? Head to our website to subscribe to a local Intel Brief newsletter and join us in looking toward the future.

08/14/2026

Ruby and Amaan have been growing together at Veterans Community Project.

Over the past three months, the pair—Ruby is a VCP employee and Amaan is a VCP resident—has been tending to edible flowers in the community garden at VCP of Kansas City. And now, it's time to harvest: This coming weekend, the colorful array of vibrant zinnias and peppery calendula will adorn the cake and cocktails at Ruby’s wedding.

Their project began earlier this year after Ruby got engaged and, she says with a laugh, "was telling anyone who would listen that I was getting married.” Amaan, the U.S. Army Veteran who has taken ownership of the garden, offered to help. Returning her laugh, he explains, “I didn’t think she’d actually take me up on it... but I’m so glad she did.”

From there, Amaan got to work. First, he visited local nurseries to find flowers that matched Ruby’s color theme. Then, he planted seeds under grow lights in his 240-square-foot tiny home before the weather turned. Finally, he moved them to the garden this summer. One of his favorite milestones along the way? Showing them off to Ruby’s dad, who is a fellow Veteran.

And while the flowers were growing, so were Ruby and Amaan. Ruby was recently promoted to Director of Development, responsible for raising the funds to serve Veterans. Amaan, meanwhile, is pursuing his dream by building a book of gardening and landscaping clients around town.

Yesterday, they sat down together in our pavilion to reflect—and to hammer out some last-minute wedding planning details. Amaan beamed as Ruby told him that she has tasked her fiancé’s groomsmen with telling the story behind the flowers to each guest.

That story, she says, exemplifies the genuine everyday connections at the heart of her role at VCP: “This place is so much more than a job, this is my life—and now I get to share that.”
..once again, with anyone who will listen.

Enjoy your big day, Ruby.

08/12/2026

When U.S. Army Veteran Julie came to Veterans Community Project, she was beginning a new chapter. And over time, we’ve had the privilege of watching her slowly step into it.

Through an incredible partnership with Southeastern Dental Center, Julie was given the opportunity to receive a new smile. And while the physical transformation is beautiful, what has meant even more to us is watching what happened beyond the mirror.

We’ve watched Julie’s confidence grow.

We’ve watched her come out of her shell, connect with her neighbors, and become part of the community around her. We’ve watched her smile more freely, laugh a little louder, and begin to see herself differently.

Because sometimes, having someone invest in you can remind you that you’re worth investing in.

For Julie, this wasn’t just about getting a new smile. It was about getting a little piece of her confidence back and realizing that she has a place here, surrounded by people who see her, care about her, and are cheering her on.

This is what happens when a community comes together for a Veteran.

And we are so grateful to Southeastern Dental Center for being a small but impactful part of Julie’s story. ❤️

08/11/2026

As we recognize Make-A-Will Month this August, Matt's story is a powerful reminder that a legacy is built through the values we carry forward and the lives we choose to impact. His commitment to serving Veterans has spanned a lifetime, and by including VCP in his estate plans, he is ensuring that commitment will continue for generations to come.

We are also looking forward next month to September 15, when VCP is partnering with Bill Keen, Founder of Keen Wealth Advisors, for a free educational webinar on tax-smart charitable giving. Learn more about the event and sign up here: https://vcp.org/series/tax-smart-giving-strategies/

08/10/2026

On Friday morning, with a drill in his hand and a full set of carpentry tools at his feet, VCP alum Donnie fought back tears. Our staff around him showed a little less restraint.

The emotional moment was more than three years in the making. After experiencing homelessness, the U.S. Army Veteran rebuilt his life in a tiny blue home in VCP Village. Today, he is among a small group of former residents launching our new alumni ambassador program, regularly visiting to mentor current residents and sometimes stopping by, in his words, “just to feel the love.”

During a recent visit, Donnie was telling us about the carpentry job our career services team helped him secure, saying that it has provided him with much more than a steady paycheck: “I love this work, man. You see things torn down, then get to build something back up. That gives me a sense of pride.” (And yes, there is a metaphor in there.)

There was just one barrier: Lacking many of the everyday tools he needed on the jobsite, he asked our operations team if we had any old spares lying around. Not exactly, they told him, but later picked up the phone and dialed longtime mission supporter, Milwaukee Tool.

So, on Friday morning, what you really saw unfold was a 65-year-old taking full advantage of a second chance, a team of case managers invested in his long-term success, and a heartwarming surprise from a partner who, time and time again, has answered the call for Veterans.

Donnie, alternating between digging through tools and hugging case managers, summed up the moment: “I feel like a kid in a candy store right now... nobody has ever done something like this for me.”

And now fully equipped to continue building his future, he shed a few words of reflection that apply to both carpentry and life: “When I came to VCP, I was a man whose whole world was shattered. Today, I have put it all back together. This place is a lifesaver.”

08/04/2026

08/03/2026

This past week, the average resident age went up at Veterans Community Project. And, this time, not because of someone moving into a tiny home—but rather, the family who just moved out of one.

Eleven months ago, U.S. Navy Veteran Laneice and her three young daughters came to VCP in a moment of crisis. They had been living in a hotel, navigating back-to-school season without an address, looking for a job without childcare, and seeking healthcare without time for appointments. “It was exhausting... and we were exhausted,” she reflects.

But that all changed when your support opened the door to a 320-square-foot family unit in VCP Village, a slightly-less-tiny home complete with bunk beds and an expanded living space. On move-in day, Laneice described it as “the light at the end of our tunnel.”

The changes began immediately. With a mailing address and a designated school district, she was able to get her two older daughters enrolled in school (and, now this year, in the AP classes earned by her middle schooler). While back in the Village alongside her youngest daughter—her battle buddy, Laneice got to work rebuilding their life.

With her VCP case manager, the former Navy Corpsman accomplished goals including regular physical therapy and mental health support, getting connected to VA disability benefits, and securing a housing voucher to pave the way for long-term stability.

Along the way, Laneice notes, she smiled watching her daughters be able to act like kids again, riding donated bikes and scooters around the Village and scavenging for after-school snacks at the Village Center. And on their final afternoon at VCP, that joy was on full display as the girls played with bubbles while she packed up for their transition to permanent housing.

“Over the last year, I have learned just how immensely strong my kids are, having dealt with so much drastic change in their lives,” Laneice says, adding, “And in me, I hope they saw resilience. Because I know they saw someone who was down, who was out, but who never gave up.”