GHAR Contributes to Tiny Home Community for Veterans in Harrisburg

The creation of a tiny home community for veterans experiencing homelessness is underway in Harrisburg, with the goal of opening in the spring of 2024. The project is being spearheaded by Veterans Outreach of Pennsylvania, a nonprofit organization.

Chairman and co-founder Tom Zimmerman said he and co-founder Valerie Fletcher were inspired to do something to help veterans experiencing homelessness in the area because they both came from military families. In 2002, there were more than 775 veterans who were homeless in Pennsylvania and 75 in the Capital region.

“The goal is to recreate the stable support network the veterans had while in the service. VOPA will provide support and services needed to help these veterans transition back into the community so they can be mentors to their fellow veterans,” according to VOPA chairman and co-founder Tom Zimmerman.

“If someone was willing to raise their hand and sacrifice their life for our freedoms, they deserve a hand up, not a handout. Some veterans have fallen into hard times, whether they’re homeless, without a job, facing post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction or other issues. We want to help get them off the street, give them a place to stay and provide them with the necessary services needed to transition back into the community,” Zimmerman said.

VOPA started raising money for the tiny home community, based on a similar project in Wisconsin, in 2019 and to date has raised more than $4.1 million, but due to material cost increases and higher labor costs due to COVID, they still need to raise another $350,000 to complete the Capital Campaign.

“The Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors® was extremely supportive and strongly believed this project was something the association should support,” said Kathy Ludwig, GHAR CEO. “Providing homes is the foundation of what our members do on a day-to-day basis.”

The Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors® has donated $10,000 toward the project, according to Kathy Ludwig, GHAR CEO.

“When our board of directors heard about the project, they were extremely supportive and strongly believed this was something the association should do,” she said. “We formed a task force, kicked it off at our holiday lunch in 2022 and we hit our goal in July. Members individually pledged to donate and received an American flag for their contribution. Providing homes is the foundation of what our members do on a day-to-day basis.”

“We’ve had VOPA make presentations to the membership and our management events to help spread the word about this tremendous project,” Ludwig added. “Our membership and board are dedicated to helping the community and believe supporting our veterans is the right thing to do.”

The VOPA community is being built on five acres of donated land in south Harrisburg, where residents will have easy access to public transportation as well as healthcare. Fifteen 210-square-foot homes will be built on the property, providing shelter and a safe place for veterans who are experiencing homelessness. The homes will not have a kitchen, but meals will be provided in the 6,500-square-foot community center. More than just a dining area, the community center will provide a number of programs and services based on evidence-proven therapeutic models to residents, as well as other area veterans.

“The goal is to recreate the stable support network they had while in the service. VOPA will provide support and services needed to help these veterans transition back into the community so they can be mentors to their fellow veterans,” Zimmerman said. “It’s not the intention that they will live here forever; some may live here for six months, nine months or more than a year until they’re ready to find a permanent home. We want to restore their dignity and give them purpose. As long as the veteran is working and progressing on their individual service plan that they help create with our clinical team to address their issues, they will have a place to stay.”

Several members of VOPA’s board of directors have retired from the military and the organization has several retired generals serving on its advisory board.

VOPA continues their fundraising efforts through corporate contributions and individual donations. He notes one of the fundraising efforts that is resonating with many is the Sponsor a Brick campaign, which allows contributors to honor a veteran.

“We will be creating our Star Memorial Circle and hope to populate it with the names of people who are connected to stories that will inspire, motivate and encourage our veterans as they pass through our doors,” he added.