Our Housing First Minnesota Foundation, along with build partner Lennar and the Lennar Foundation and service partner the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV), is taking a significant step toward ending veteran homelessness with their announcement of a Veteran Village project earlier this spring.
According to the Minnesota Department of Veteran Affairs, over 200 veterans are currently experiencing homelessness throughout the state. Our Housing First Minnesota Foundation, Lennar, and the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV) aim to bring that number to functional zero.
The Veteran Village, a first-of-its-kind project, is designed to house up to 60 veterans and their families who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The initiative marks a significant milestone in our Foundation’s mission to provide safe and stable housing for veterans and their families.
“This project represents a monumental step in our ongoing mission to eradicate veteran homelessness in Minnesota,” said Sofia Humphries, executive director of the Housing First Minnesota Foundation. “By providing safe and stable housing, we are not just giving our veterans a place to live, but also the dignity and support they deserve for their selfless service to our country.”
The project was made possible through an aggressive fundraising campaign earlier this year, the largest in our Foundation’s history. Nearly $1.5 million was raised to support the Veteran Village project, and now the Foundation is entering a new phase of fundraising, with the goal of raising another $1 million by fall 2025.
Many donations of time, talent, and treasure throughout the campaign came from individuals and businesses in all corners of the housing industry. Our Foundation would not be able to complete these ambitious projects without the industry’s support.
Our Housing First Minnesota Foundation has a long history of building and remodeling homes for Minnesotan veterans in need, completing 11 Housing for Heroes build projects and providing over 33,000 square feet of housing for veterans experiencing homelessness. Currently, the Foundation is also building three homes in Minneapolis, which will provide 10 more beds for veterans.
