Lowe’s Hometowns Grant Lights the Path to Stability for South Dakota Veterans

With his world turned upside down, and left without purpose or drive, he started to contemplate what many Veterans do, suicide. But something stopped him that day and through the healing process, he met three other combat veterans who had a desire to help their fellow Veterans.

They went out into the community, and handed out money, food, and whatever was needed to help. They soon realized that many veterans do not qualify for even basic services. Because of their discharge status, they couldn't get the help they needed. "They didn't even look at you as a veteran" Brandonn said. " And to me, that just felt horrible. I remember what I felt like when I got left behind…and I almost took my life over it. "

Soon after, the four started the Veterans Community Project, a nonprofit providing high-quality and well-developed strategic services that enable Veterans to meet the challenges of day-to-day living, resolve immediate crises, and move toward permanent stability.

Today, it is estimated that there are over 30,000 homeless Veterans in this country with 22 suicides every day. Out of those twenty-two, 17 are not connected to any Veteran services.

Brandonn says the solution is simple, "Provide veterans home with dignity, wraparound support services that not only get them back on their feet but ensure they continue standing. "

Starting in Kansas City, VCP is expanding its mission of serving at-risk Veterans experiencing homelessness across the United States with Villages in Longmont, Colorado; St. Louis, Missouri; and Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and plans for expansion into Glendale, Arizona; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Lowe's is investing $100 million to restore and revitalize community spaces across the country through Lowe's Hometowns. Each year through 2026 Lowe's selects 100 large-scale community projects, chosen from consumer nominations, to be completed in partnership with local nonprofits, Lowe's store associates and community volunteers.

This year, Lowe's Hometowns awarded the Veterans Community Project in Sioux Falls, SD, its largest grant to date, $305,000. This grant will double, or possibly triple the number of Veterans and their families that Veterans Community Project is able to serve, providing them with the services and help they need to reach their goal of permanent stability and a place to call home.

In addition to the grant, over 20 local Lowe's associates participated in Red Vest Day in Sioux Falls, a chance for them to volunteer and support the organization that helps local Veterans. David Rieger, construction coordinator for VCP was overwhelmed with the additional help, "Everybody there is awesome, Lowe's is great, but to have them come out and see what we're doing, they see these veterans' community projects shared in there all the time. They see our truck roll up all the time. But having them come out and actually get involved with it, because I know a lot of them have expressed interest in it before. Having them come out and be a part of it was awesome."

A veteran himself, David says 'it's more than just a job", he says, "I get a second chance to be a Veteran again and to help. Yeah. I get that hope. I get hope for the future and for more veterans coming out that don't have a community to go to."

Visit Lowes.com/hometowns and follow #LowesHometowns on social media for more on this year's projects. To learn more about Lowe's commitment to communities, visit Lowes.com/OurCommunities.

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