MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — According to data collected by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, 13% of the homeless adult population are veterans.
A local partnership is trying to change that.
Renewal By Anderson is donating more than half a million dollars to Veterans Outreach of Pennsylvania for a unique style of living.
The donation of $536,000 will be used to provide windows, doors, sidelights, transoms and labor for its Tiny Homes and Community Center initiative that helps homeless and displaced veterans across the capital region.
With the material donations, 15 tiny homes for veterans experiencing homelessness will be built along the Susquehanna River in South Harrisburg. Additionally, a community center will be built and is expected to have a community and dining hall, a commercial kitchen, individual treatment rooms, a meditation room, a workshop, showers and offices for on-site support staff.
The entire village will serve veterans free of charge.
"I know [the] sacrifice military families make. As a community, it's up to us to give them the support and help they need," said Linda Johnson, the general manager with Renewal by Anderson.
The Tiny Homes project was first revealed in the fall of 2021 with an initial fundraising goal of $4.1 million. Currently, the project has raised 50% of its goal.
Construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2023, once significant fundraising commitments are completed.
Officials say that the tiny homes will provide everything a veteran needs to live with dignity and safety, including a bed, bathroom and shower, desk, sink and counter space with a refrigerator underneath.
Transportation will also be accessible to enable veterans to connect to systems of care, employment and the community.
"If you were willing to sacrifice your life for our freedom, you deserve a helping hand and a welcoming home," said Thomas Zimmerman, the co-founder and chair of Veterans Outreach in Pennsylvania.