Serving those who served
Veterans are special. Those who carved out time in service to our nation have a soft heart for our country. Espousing values such as selfless service, duty, and personal courage, they believe in the highest ideals. Those who served in combat and war zones have another level of heroics for us.
Sometimes, veterans who served in war zones and combat areas, who have experienced the intensity of death and trauma return wounded in many ways. Many times, physically, and although significantly undiagnosed, several times mentally. I do not have time here to delve into how we heal our minds, but it is the same seriousness as if we needed to heal a leg or arm that was severely damaged.
Veterans with disabilities or PTSD struggle finding adequate housing especially if they are not finding adequate work. The cost of fair market rents is so high that a person earning anything less than $13/hour has a rent and utility burden that consumes 50%-60% of their monthly income. It is unsustainable. Qualifying to purchase a home is also complicated and the stockage of smaller homes below $135,000 are difficult to find. Add the needed access to a VA with services and appointments into the equation and you begin seeing the struggles veterans face of getting care as well as sustainable and affordable housing.
Because I am an Iraq veteran, this population is dear to my heart. Tuskegee is my assigned VA. During a seminary course, I was assigned to the wing of the VA housing homeless veterans either in a substance abuse treatment program of at PTSD program. Listening to their stories as they struggled to find affordable and sustainable housing heightened my awareness of this group’s unique situation.
ARM is intentional working with veterans. Currently, we are renovating and abandoned home near the Tuskegee City square. A historic craftsman style home, it was suitable to divide it into a duplex and provide a 1 bath/1bedroom space for two veterans. Tuskegee architecture students completed the plans and Auburn Building Science students are completing the renovations therefore donating the labor cost.
There are over 1000 abandoned homes in Tuskegee and an opportunity to transform these boarded- up neighborhoods overgrown with shrubs and debris. Can you imagine with us!
I wish it were totally free but there is a cost. The materials cost for the conversion is $90,000. ARM raised grant funds but we must raise significantly more to finish it out before we take out a loan. Imagine us being able to serve those who have served and insure affordable and excellent housing. It is a dream we are living into.
ARM is mostly known for serving families who live in their homes. This is another way we can provide housing, restore neighborhoods, and transform a community. Your gifts are helping us meet this huge need and live into this amazing vision!
Hooahhh!
Lisa
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