A recent Longmont community drive gathered more than $4,000 in food and pantry items for local veterans in need.
Hosted by the Veterans Community Project, the drive was held to restock outreach services supplies as the nonprofit prepares for its summer residential programming.
In February and March, community drive volunteers and organizers collected household goods, food and clothing.
“We received tremendous support for our ‘Welcome Home Baskets,’ which are baskets filled with household goods such as cutlery, pots and pans, linens and towels, and more,” said Miguel Valdez, community engagement coordinator for the Veterans Community Project.
The nonprofit’s outreach center case managers help veterans obtain permanent housing, and the baskets are gifted to ensure every veteran “has a fresh start and isn't starting out a new life with nothing when they move into their new home,” Valdez said.
The canned and non-perishable foods gathered in the community drive were placed into boxes to help those in need, as food prices remain prohibitively high for many.
“Food boxes go to veterans who are housed and have a place to prepare meals, but may be experiencing food insecurity,” Valdez explained. “Much of our work, in addition to housing, is helping to support the maintenance of permanent housing stability and ensuring that basic human needs don't go unmet.”
The organization’s Veteran Support Services team also helps veterans who are experiencing homelessness through the nonprofit’s Main Street location.
“They provide snack bags, hygiene to-go kits and weather-appropriate clothing items to provide to whomever they speak to,” Valdez said.
The nonprofit is building more than two dozen tiny homes for veterans, in addition to a community center, which is slated to be completed in May.
“Each tiny home takes 825 volunteer hours to complete, which means by the time we are done, volunteers will have contributed more than 21,000 hours on the build,” he explained. “This equates to more than $675,000 that volunteers helped us to save.”
The tiny homes need furniture donations — community members can purchase the items through registries set up on Amazon, Target or Walmart. The items can be shipped directly to the Veterans Community Project Outreach Center, at 1228 Main Street, or dropped off between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The Veterans Community Project’s oath is to “serve every veteran in need, regardless of discharge status or length of service.”
“This is only possible because of the support of our community,” Valdez said.
