Homes For Heroes Announces Plans For Winnipeg Kinsmen Veterans' Village

WINNIPEG, Manitoba, May 25, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today representatives from the Province of Manitoba, the City of Winnipeg and local partners were on hand at the Winnipeg Kinsmen Club to announce the plans for the Homes For Heroes, Winnipeg Kinsmen Veterans Village. It is estimated that there are more than 160 Veterans living on the street of Winnipeg and this project will help integrate Veteran tenants back into the community through the provision of housing and social supports.

"Our team has been working very hard over the last couple years to get a Veterans Village planned in the great city of Winnipeg. We are thrilled to announce our plans for the Winnipeg Kinsmen Veterans Village," noted David Howard, CEO and President of the Homes For Heroes Foundation.

The Veterans Village is named after the Winnipeg Kinsmen Club which has donated $1 million dollars to support the build.

Canadian Pacific donated $500,000 and is recognised and the Resource Centre sponsor. The Veterans Village is being built on an acre of land in the community of Transcona and will feature 20 tiny homes, and on-site councillors' offices. Canadian Pacific has been a long-time supporter of the Homes For Heroes Foundation and has sponsored the Veterans Villages in Calgary, Edmonton, and now the Winnipeg.

The Province of Manitoba plays a key role in supporting the plans for the and has confirmed their financial support of $500,000 towards the build of the Veterans Village. Len Isleifson, Manitoba's Special Envoy for Military Affairs and MLA for Brandon East, was on hand to announce their support.

Homes For Heroes Foundation works in partnership with Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) and local social support agencies to help their Veteran tenants. Through the Veterans and Families Well-Being Fund, Veterans Affairs Canada contributed $315,000 towards this project. To date, VAC has committed close to $1 million for Homes For Heroes projects across Canada.

The City of Winnipeg is supplying the lands necessary to build the Veterans Village and it is due to the hard work and dedication on Councillor Kevin Klein who was also on hand during the event. With the land now secured, planning and development for the village can begin with the goal to being construction in the spring of 2023, with the hope to open by the summer of 2023. Homes For Heroes is committed to working with community suppliers with all their builds and the dollars invested in the construction for the Veterans Village will be spent using Manitoba suppliers.

Quick Facts

• Homes For Heroes Foundation builds and operates tiny home villages, with wrap around social supports service for Veterans living rough or experiencing homelessness.
• Homes For Heroes Foundation currently operates a village in Calgary and Edmonton. Veteran Villages are in the planning stages for Kingston, Ont. and now Winnipeg, with the goal to build and operate across Canada.
• In 2019, Homes For Heroes Foundation opened ATCO Veterans Village in Calgary. Since that time, 13 Veterans graduated from the Calgary program. Thirteen Veterans came into the program, worked on the issues that lead them to the streets, entered the workforce, moved into more permanent housing, and have become mentors for the current group of tenants.
  

More information on Homes For Heroes and charitable donations can be made by visiting www.h4hf.ca

Quotes

"I've seen the incredible impact that Homes for Heroes Veterans Villages have already had in Calgary and Edmonton, and I know this funding is going to help them change a lot of lives in the Winnipeg Veteran community. Homes for Heroes in Winnipeg is a perfect example of why we created the Veteran and Family Well-Being Fund: to support organizations doing exceptional work right across the country."

The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence

"Our government is please to support Homes For Heroes Winnipeg Veterans Village," said Len Isleifson, Special Envoy for Military Affairs for the Province of Manitoba. "This project will honor the men and women who have served our country and ensure they have the resources, and services they need to achieve the goal of living independently as they transition back to civilian life."

Len Isleifson, Special Envoy for Military Affairs for the Province of Manitoba

"This wasn't easy but is worth all the effort. I'm proud of the work done and for City Council's unanimous support of my motion to make Homes for Heroes a reality in our city. We took action to address and eradicate Veteran homelessness in Winnipeg; it's an historic moment."

Kevin Klein, Councillor, City of Winnipeg

"CP has a long history of supporting the veteran community and understands the challenges veterans face when transitioning back to civilian life. The Winnipeg village will provide much-needed assistance for veterans experiencing homelessness. We are proud to work with the Homes for Heroes Foundation and have a lasting legacy as the Resource Centre sponsor."

Bradley Robertson, CP Assistant Vice-President Mechanical Car.

"Winnipeg Kinsmen is incredibly proud to support the Homes for Heroes Foundation and their mission to end homelessness among Canada's veterans. In supporting the Winnipeg Veterans Village project with our donation, we are grateful to stand together in partnership to support veterans experiencing homelessness in our own community."

Trevor Smith, Past President, Winnipeg Kinsmen Club

"With more than 5,000 Veterans experiencing homelessness we are proud of the work being done by our staff at our Veteran Villages and look forward to further announcements as we gear up to build in every major center across Canada. It is important that we work with local stakeholders and all three levels of government across Canada so we can end the issue of Veteran homelessness."

Todd Dyer, Chairman for the Homes For Heroes Foundation board of directors.

"We have some fundraising still to complete for the Winnipeg Kinsmen Veterans' Village, but we have already had some great corporate support, like the Brick who supplied our Edmonton Veterans Village with all the furniture and appliances. The citizens of Manitoba have proven their love and support of those that have served, and we are extremely grateful."

David Howard, CEO and President, Homes For Heroes Foundation

Contacts

David Howard
CEO and President
Homes For Heroes Foundation
403-620-4255
[email protected]

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: 
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