Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity is thrilled to announce our new Veteran Build! Veteran Build aims to bring together U.S. veterans, military service members and their families to volunteer sites to build positive change in their communities. This initiative is global, and it aims to bring awareness to issues that veterans face towards obtaining housing and employment following their service. We hope to highlight the strength and resilience of veterans through our Veteran Build.
Principles of Veteran Build
Build
Provide simple, decent, energy-efficient and affordable housing solutions for military service members, veterans and their families.
Employ
Capitalizes on skill sets gained from military service with recruitment targeting veterans as Habitat for Humanity International and local affiliate employees, board members and extended volunteers, national service members, interns and fellows.
Volunteer Engagement
Provide volunteer experiences that bring together veterans, military families and their neighbors. These experiences help bridge the gap and ease the transition to civilian life with fulfilling community engagement.
Educate
Provides access to financial literacy and financial education programs to support successful homeownership among veteran and military homeowners. Trains Habitat employees and community volunteers to understand the military culture in order to interact effectively with military service members and veterans.
Honor
Throughout the year, we participate in or host special events that pay tribute to veterans, raise awareness and mobilize volunteers to advocate for affordable housing.
The Importance of Veteran Build
The Veteran Build initiative by Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity is a crucial program aimed at addressing the unique housing challenges faced by veterans. Nearly 4 million veterans spend at least 30% of their income on housing, and over 1.5 million spend at least 50%, placing immense strain on their budgets. Veterans, particularly older ones, are more likely to have disabilities that necessitate home modifications and additional support services. Female veterans, especially single mothers, are significantly impacted, with nearly half spending over 30% of their income on housing. Veteran Build not only provides affordable housing but also engages veterans and their families in building homes and communities, fostering skills and support for sustainable homeownership.
Veteran Build Sponsors
The purpose of these specialty builds is to engage active service members, veterans, their families and families of the fallen to build homes, communities and hope; while also ensuring they have the skills and support needed to achieve successful and sustainable homeownership. Teams are responsible for raising funds to cover the cost of the day’s building materials, site supervision, meals, and swag. Learn more about sponsorships by contacting our Volunteer Manager (volunteer@vermonthabitat.org)!