Homeless Vets to Have a Warmer & Safer Winter
"Until you have that stable place, you're just a stray cat wandering until your little paws are wore out."~ CSS Military Veteran.
Homeless veterans will have a warm & safe winter this year thanks to a $35,000 grant from Wells Fargo Bank to Community Supported Shelters.
Wells Fargo's VeteranWINS grant program provides financial support to community-based nonprofits focused on addressing military veteran homelessness, transitional housing, and low- to moderate-income veteran home rehabilitation.
Community Supported Shelters (CSS) is a nonprofit group which operates 4 homeless communities in Eugene, Oregon, including one exclusively for military veterans at the Eugene Mission. Veterans live there for one to five months where they receive counseling and seek employment and permanent housing.
The veterans' camp has 15 micro-shelters called Conestoga Huts and currently 11 residents. Like other communities operated by CSS, the common area and kitchen uses a wood burning stove for heat.
"Up to now, collecting and chopping firewood has been a major challenge," said CSS co-director and co-founder Erik de Buhr. "We have used part of this generous gift to purchase a hydraulic dump trailer to transport the wood from local donors, as well as protective gear and chainsaws to chop it up. Our residents want to be self-reliant."
The wood will be used to heat both the veterans' camp as well as the three other camps that CSS operates in Lane County. CSS is also creating a small business to sell excess firewood.
"Our shed is now packed full of wood. There is no way we could have done that without the grant. We are going into this winter better prepared than ever before to heat all our camps," he said.
The nonprofit will use some of the grant funds to upgrade the huts, provide new roofs, and install solar panels and charging stations. It will also be converting at least one hut so it's wheelchair-accessible, de Buhr said.
CSS co-founders Erik de Buhr (fifth from left) and Fay de Buhr (fourth from right) and board member Evelyn Anderton (far left) accept a $35,000 grant from Wells Fargo.
The micro-shelters at the veterans' community each have propane-powered heaters but up to now the residents were not able to use them as there are no smoke or carbon monoxide detectors. CSS used some of the grant funds to purchase the necessary detectors, as well as a number of fire extinguishers.
"Now we can use the heaters and feel secure they are going to be safe. It works pretty well. The guys are a lot more comfortable. They really appreciate it," said de Buhr.
The grant to the Eugene agency is part of the $200,000 total the Wells Fargo program is donating this year to six nonprofit groups that support veterans. The others are in California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa and Texas.
"Wells Fargo partners with nonprofits such as Community Supported Shelters that work tirelessly to help veterans achieve long-term stability and success," said Andrew Tweedie, a Wells Fargo Community Relations consultant in Oregon.
"We are committed to building better communities including by working with nonprofits to address homelessness for veterans," Tweedie said. "Community Supported Shelters is active and experienced in military housing efforts and was identified by Wells Fargo as a leader nationally in addressing veteran homelessness."
Wells Fargo has been dedicated to helping military members, veterans and their families succeed financially for more than 160 years. Since 2012, Wells Fargo has donated more than 300 homes, valued at over $50 million, to veterans in all 50 US states; donated more than $25 million to military and veteran related nonprofits; and hired more than 6,700 veterans.
Learn more about Wells Fargo services and support for military and veterans at www.wellsfargo.com/military.
Sources: Wells Fargo Flash Alert
CSS
About Community Supported Shelters
Founded by Erik and Fay de Buhr in 2013, Community Supported Shelters manages four Safe Spots Camp Communities. Consisting of Conestoga Huts, the communities have several features that make them a very basic, but livable environment for people without other shelter options. The majority of its funding comes from community donations. More information: (541) 683-0836 or communitysupportedshelters.org.
I appreciate your support :)
With Love and Light and Good Mojo to my Tribe!
In case you missed these stellar posts by @ArbitraryKitten :)
Steemit Saved My Life
~
Words Hurt ~ an Experiment
~
Happy Steemitversary and 2500 Follower Milestone!
~
Protect Yourself From Disappearing Posts and Comments!
~
7 Websites for Free and Legal Images
~
How to Set Boundaries
~
Open a New Tab, Make Extra Money While Steeming!
~
Friday the 13th Intruder- a True Story
~
Beautiful Inspiration
~
4 Easy Ways to Learn Anything Fast
~
Positive Affirmations for Kids
~
5 Tips to Get Their Attention
~
What Type of Learner are You? Quiz
~
And Now That You Know What Type of Learner You Are, Trick Their Minds Into Doing What You Want ;)
~
Join the Steemit Community Manifest Challenge!
❤
It floors me that our society seems to place little emphasis on our greatest assets like veterans, the elderly, and other humans of great value.
I know tiny homes are all the rage, but I can't believe this is the best we can do for our veterans. You'll never see a former member of Congress or any of the reps of the House or Senate living like this.
I've been through times in my life when I, too, would have welcomed a space of my own in any size, and perhaps there is a level of satisfaction here, but really? Is this our best?
Mega kudos to Fay and Erik, but I expect more from a corporation like Wells Fargo. I think we will all arrive to a point, an a-ha moment if you will, when we realize that we could have and should have done more.
I absolutely agree.
Yes, it's definitely a step up from the streets. I'll give them that.
And you're right, you'll never see a member of Congress, nor a Wells Fargo Corp member, in something like this...
I'm terribly afraid that aha moment will come too late...
A great initiative.
Although it disgusts me how the governments don't do more to help those who volunteered to serve. I'm not a fan of standing armies and hate the war machine however these men and women stood up for something they believed in a many die on the job. They come home and get treated like trash by ungrateful, corrupt politicians who never had the cajones to get up and defend the freedom they millions of dollars pontificating about.
It's great to see help going to these vets they absolutely desreve it, but the scumbags in DC, London etc who put these people in harms way with their lies need to do more.
Great post babe ❤️
I so agree with everything you've just said.
My cable guy was telling me about it just the other day. He came back and couldn't find a job for two years. Lost his home and most custody of his daughter.
He finally got a job installing cable and got an apartment to share with another vet, but it's a shame. He worked hard to protect the freedoms, then gets spat upon return.
It's sure good to know there is such an active and caring community that sees after the needs and welfare of our most unfortunate Veterans. Thanks for sharing.
I had to share with the Steemit community after this story came across my desk. You are right, it's good to know :)
wow this is really nice! I just don't understand why there are homeless veterans out there, it's really sad!! =(
I have so much respect with these people. They deserve better
.
Thank you for sharing this.
Love,
Gil XOXO
There are SO MANY. Its sick- they serve their country then noone will hire them when they come back :(
Thank you :)
I've watched the a lot documentaries about them. There's so much the earth have to fix. Am not even sure if there is really a cure. *sigh
I love what you do to the kitties though. Makes me feel better living in this chaotic world haha Nature is comforting.
What do you for living?
I added you to my steemvoter list. I hope to help you more in the future.
Thank you for inspiring me.
Love,
Gil ❤️🇵🇭😘
Rescuing those kitties IS a full time job, lol!
As far as my job, I'm a writer. I wrote fiction book, and I'm a columnist.
What do you do?
Omg, I if I ever visit where ever you are and you need some hand rescuing more kittens, I would be the happiest person on the earth!!!😊
I will even add that to my my biography, resume, etcs haha
Oh wow! do you have any link of your books, I love to read. I have a kindle an I use goodreads.com to look up books.
I don't really do much aside from traveling and just steeming. I love to spend time with my partner and my two kitties.
Am in Thailand right now so I asked my sister to fly from another island to baby-sit my bubahs. 😊
I would adore your help <3
Are you on Discord?
That's awesome! It will make such a big difference.
I agree <3 I hope more corporations will do things like this. Spread their wealth...
@cmtzco has voted on behalf of @minnowpond. If you would like to recieve upvotes from minnowponds team on all your posts, simply FOLLOW @minnowpond.
To receive an upvote send 0.25 SBD to @minnowpond with your posts url as the memo
To receive an reSteem send 0.75 SBD to @minnowpond with your posts url as the memo
To receive an upvote and a reSteem send 1.00SBD to @minnowpond with your posts url as the memo
Thank you @cmtzco !!
such a wonderful post @arbitrarykitten. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it :)
Thanks for reading!
I am Learning a lot from you @arbitrarykitten.
What are your secret to success on steemit ?
I am so happy to hear that! It really means a lot to me <3
Well, I post original, thought provoking information. I engage with my "tribe" and make friends and nurture these wonderful relationships. I write and post daily (unless I am REALLY sick, lol) and provide as much help as I can to new kids just joining.
Patience is key- no great thing was built overnight! And consistency. :)
Please feel free to ask me any questions! I am happy to help :)
I'm no fan of big banks, but you have to admit that sometimes, just sometimes, they get something right 😃
Same here.
They did well :)
Great story. Thanks for sharing. Anything we can do for our veterans who are struggling is a great! Glad to see Wells Fargo step up to the plate to help.
I agree- they do so much and have seen so many unforgettable horrors, in the name of the corporate agenda under the name of freedom. They sacrificed for us- we need to do what we can for them.
All of society should be a give and take.
I like these ideas for the homeless vets. We will see how it works. I wonder how much each unit costs to build. 🐓🐓
Each unit is $2200
Thank you. Maybe I missed that in the story you posted. Can't beat the price! 🐓🐓
No, I never added it. Just remember from the video :)