Impact
OUR MISSION
is to end Veteran homelessness in Canada. We aim to achieve this by integrating homeless military Veterans back into the community through the provision of transitional “tiny home” housing in unique villages as well as personalized social support services. These programs are designed to heal and empower Veterans to achieve healthy, productive, independent civilian lives.
” .. they saved my life.”
“There’s no other place like this for Veterans …”
Founded in 2018, Homes For Heroes Foundation is a relatively new charity. Our first village opened in Calgary the fall of 2019 with resounding success, which garnered much attention from across Canada. We now are operating Veteran villages in Calgary, Edmonton and Kingston with plans for Winnipeg underway. Our bold expansion plans include locations from coast to coast, across Canada
We’re not just about building villages – we’re passionate about transforming the lives of our Veterans who bravely served our country and now need a helping hand. Thanks to supporters from across the country, in just our first few years we have built 3 villages with one more under construction, each one staffed with two case workers. We’ve created 20,075 bed nights per year and achieved an 87% program success rate with our first village residents.
The hundreds of family members positively impacted by these Homes for Heroes village Veterans are a testament to the hard work of the Veterans themselves and our small, dedicated team of staff and volunteers.
In addition to the HUMAN impact Homes for Heroes is having, there is also a SOCIAL impact to consider. People without a home, lacking supports for mental illness and addiction, can draw significantly on social services for survival, including shelters, social agencies and hospitals. They tend to interact more frequently with police, fire and paramedic services. This all costs money. In Canada, for persons struggling with homelessness and mental illness, the annual costs to the taxpayer are high, at $80,000+ per person. Every Veteran who is helped to independence by Homes For Heroes saves us all a great deal of money.
Homes For Heroes is on a continuing learning path and is constantly seeking to enhance our unique program’s effectiveness. We are pleased by the support we have received from all levels of government, community groups and the caring public. We see this as strong endorsement that we are being effective and heading in the right direction.
Why We Do What We Do
I was deployed to Afghanistan twice, in 2004 and 2006, rising to the rank of Corporal before receiving a military citation and discharge from military service in 2008.
I knew I was different coming home.
The smell of diesel fuel and dust was always there. In quiet moments, I could hear the whining of a gas turbine. And in my sleep, I relived the gunfire, and death.
PTS was a relentless enemy that invaded my mind and soul. Alcohol helped me forget but hurt other parts of my civilian life: I couldn’t hold down a job, and my marriage ended.
Unemployed and alone, I turned to friends and “couch-surfed” but by late 2019, I found myself sleeping in my car and begging on the street during the day. It was rock bottom.
When I saw a news story about a tiny home village for Veterans in Calgary, I decided to reach out.
Homes For Heroes had people who could help me with all aspects of my recovery: from addressing my alcoholism, to mental health counselling, and providing financial advice. Day by day / was able to chart a new course for my future in the Calgary village, and ultimately, / was able to find steady employment and my own apartment.
Homes For Heroes – and the people that support the Foundation – have helped me regain a life that I had given up on. Homes For Heroes saved my life.
Hear it for yourself ...
“I felt accepted without question.”
“Homes For Heroes for me, made me a hero …”