Inside a groundbreaking effort to prevent Veteran homelessness and address suicide crisis

Our new Veterans Navigation Campus will bring together community resources in Kansas City

Behind the wheels of jackhammer diggers and armed with the strength and support of the community, Veterans Community Project broke ground last week on a bold new vision to prevent Veteran homelessness and address the crisis of Veteran suicide.

The statistics are harrowing. Veterans are 50% more likely than the general U.S. population to experience homelessness at some point in their lives. On any given night, there are more than 30,000 Veterans sleeping on city streets in the country they took the oath to serve.

Furthermore, an estimated 18 Veterans take their own lives every day. And current research shows that the majority of them are not connected to any Veteran-specific resources.

Enter our Veterans Navigation Campus. When complete in around six months, the new building across from our national headquarters and adjacent to our flagship tiny home Village will improve access to care for Veterans by bringing community resources together in one location.

On stage at the groundbreaking event, VCP Co-Founder and CEO Bryan Meyer, a combat Veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, spoke about the impact and vision for the Veterans Navigation Campus.

“When we announced this project several years ago, I told a story about a letter I received from the mother of a Veteran we were helping,” he said, “and she was writing to tell me unfortunately that Veteran had lost their battle with mental health and taken their own life.”

He continued, “She told me how much VCP’s support meant to that Veteran in their final weeks and months. And as much as I appreciated that, I also felt this: ‘I do not want another letter.’”

Meaning, he said, “I want do better. I want to expand our services. I want to help more people. I want to fix Veterans issues in this community. And that is what we are doing today.”  

Currently, VCP of Kansas City serves around 1,000 Veterans per year and the VNC will increase that by around 20%. Inside, partner organizations will have office space dedicated to their areas of expertise in mental health, military benefits, job training, and more.

VCP of Kansas City Director of Veteran Support Services Kathy Elmore explained, saying, “When a Veteran walks into the Veterans Navigation Campus, I envision them seeing the familiar faces of community experts who are ready to adapt to their unique, individual needs.”

Dozens of those soon-to-be-familiar faces were all smiles at the groundbreaking event (well, in between bites of donated street tacos from local favorite Tiki Taco).

The event was a pivotal moment for a project that has been years in the making and a celebration of those who are making it possible. Like Joe Ratterman, a business leader and executive coach who with his wife Sandy have been longtime supporters of this mission.

“Sandy and I have been working with the homeless population in Kansas City for going on 21 years now and we have learned a lot along the way,” said Ratterman. “We really appreciate the VCP approach. They are making a deep, positive impact on individuals and changing life trajectories.”

To that end, he added, “The Veterans Navigation Campus will be the entry point to a changed life.”

Ratterman was followed behind the podium by employees of Veterans United Foundation and Veterans United Home Loans. The Foundation has been a supporter since our founding in 2016 and has donated more than $1.6 million to help Veterans. 

In introducing the Veterans United team, VCP CEO Meyer reflected, “I remember sitting in my car—across from our property where, at that time, we had just one prototype tiny home surrounded by brush—when VU told me about a $50,000 donation to start infrastructure work. We had a vision and determination, but that gift was representative to me that this was real and that the community would support us.”

Foundation Director Piper Brintnall told the crowd, “This campus represents what can happen when compassion and action come together. It will be a place where a Veteran can walk in and be met not with red tape or a waiting list, but with open arms, a listening ear, and real help.”

Representing the Veterans United corporate side, Customer Experience Associate Director Laura Schonhardt joined Brintnall and explained that VUHL, which is the largest VA lender across the country, supports VCP because of its own organizational values as well as because its customers are passionate about the cause. Then, in a surprise announcement, she presented a $139,520 gift on behalf of 13,952 customers who each chose to designate a $10 donation from VU toward addressing Veteran homelessness.

That support will make possible the life-changing services inside the new building. Like those provided by Chuck Lear, a Vietnam Veteran and current VCP volunteer who as a VSO has helped countless Veterans gain access to the military benefits they earned through their service. “VCP does great things for Veterans,” he said. “And I look forward to this one-stop-shop approach.”

Driving home that sentiment, Veterans Community Project resident and U.S. Army Veteran Craig spoke with Megan Abundis of 41 Action News about the impact of having a place to turn for help.

Craig served eight years and helped transport more than 600 wounded service members as part of the Forward Surgical Team in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm. He takes great pride in his service and also acknowledges the toll that three decades of post-traumatic stress has had on his life.

He said his rescue dog, Sophie, has provided a significant boost to his mental health. However, following a corporate layoff, his financial situation began to spiral downwards, and the pair found themselves experiencing homelessness while bouncing around unsafe living situations.

At that point, Craig said decided to walk into Veterans Community Project and ask for help. “The first time they greet you, they are on your side,” he reflected.

Then, he said, "I walked out of there knowing I wasn't alone anymore.”

Today, you can walk with Veterans like Craig by supporting the Veterans Navigation Campus. Together, we can build a future in which no Veteran is left behind.