HARRISBURG, Pa. — There are over 38,000 homeless veterans in the United States, including 35 on any given night in Dauphin County alone.
That's according to Veterans Outreach of Pennsylvania, a nonprofit working to address the issue with a first-of-its-kind project in South Harrisburg.
“There’s nothing in the state of Pennsylvania like what we’re doing right now," said Thomas Zimmerman, co-founder and chair of Veterans Outreach of Pennsylvania.
The construction of Veterans Grove is moving right along.
It's set to become a village of 15 to 20 tiny homes, which will provide temporary housing for homeless veterans in the Harrisburg region.
“Our veterans, we feel if they were willing to sacrifice their lives for our freedom, [they] deserve better," explained Zimmerman. "It’s not only the grandfathers and the fathers, it’s the husbands, it’s the sons and daughters…these people have been overlooked for so long.”
Since the village's June groundbreaking, contractors have moved full steam ahead on a 6,500-square-foot community center.
It’ll be open to all veterans, not just those living in Veterans Grove.
Veterans Outreach will hold therapeutic programs there which will help address the root causes of veteran homelessness.
“We’re going to have a clinical staff with clinicians, a clinical director, caseworkers and peer support workers who are going to help our veterans put a program together to address those issues," said Zimmerman.
He says the project is possible through fundraising and donations from the community.
UGI Energy Services did its part Monday, donating a brand new truck that will be used for maintenance on site.
“It’s not just providing a stable and secure home but it’s all the other support systems to help them get on track to be very engaged members of our community," said Pam Witmer, vice president of government affairs at UGI Energy Services.
Those involved say it’s a true community effort to give back to those who gave so much for our country.
“That’s what we’re trying to do…make a difference," he added.
The goal is to have the project all finished and veterans moved into the community by the spring of 2024.
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