After months of work, the BATC-Housing First Minnesota Foundation/HomeAid Twin Cities and Lennar completed a brand-new home in Maplewood for the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV). This five-bedroom home will provide transitional housing services to homeless women veterans, a population of the community that is in growing need of services.
The project was a shining example of the generosity of the housing industry. So many companies and organizations came together to donate time, talent and resources. The land for this project was contributed by an anonymous donor to the Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS® Foundation who then transferred the lot to the BATC-Housing First Minnesota Foundation. Lennar worked with numerous trade partners that were eager to help those that have served out country.
“As we reached out to our trade partners and those associated with this project, I can’t express to you enough their willingness to contribute to such a worthy cause and make a difference,” said Bill Burgess, president of Lennar Minnesota.
This home will provide a safe environment for homeless women veterans and sets the groundwork as they take steps toward housing stability. While in the home, residents work with MACV case managers to overcome their housing, employment and legal barriers. This critical program gives homeless veterans the support and confidence to find success once again.
A Growing Need
The number of homeless women veterans in Minnesota is growing, according to MACV. But, that doesn’t dishearten the organization. In fact, it motivates them. That means word is getting out that there is an organization to help, and with the completion of this home, even more homeless veteran women have a safe place.
“The number today is at 20. There are five bedrooms in this house,” said Jon Lovald, chief operating officer for MACV, at a ribbon-cutting ceremony. “You do the math, we’re taking that down by a quarter.”
As residents gain stability and move out, MACV will move more homeless women veterans into the home so it will continue to have a long legacy of service to our community and our veterans.
“What a homeless veteran needs is action. And today, we’re standing in front of action,” added Lovald. “Homeless veterans and veterans at risk of becoming homeless are going to be standing under the roof of action – the action that organizations like the BATC-Housing First Minnesota Foundation and Lennar took to create this house.”
View the full photo gallery of the project, here.
Learn more about the BATC-Housing First Minnesota Foundation and donate to help support their work providing safe, durable, affordable housing for Minnesota’s homeless, veterans and others in need at BATCFoundation.org.
