Supporter Spotlight: Eric Upchurch

Last December, Eric flew to Kansas City to speak at a real estate investing meetup and mentioned to the group of about 200 investors that one of his goals for 2020 was to donate a house to a homeless veteran.

Eric tells VCP "I didn't know how I would accomplish the goal, but that was kind of my point to the audience - to set BIG goals. The founder of that meetup approached me after my talk and said I needed to check out Veterans Community Project." After a look at the website, YouTube videos, and a phone call with Co-Founder Mark Solomon, Eric was hooked.

VCP, as it turns out, is exactly what Eric had been looking for. "[VCP is] a charity I really want to spend time promoting, raising money for, and helping grow wherever possible. VCP was created for Veterans, by Veterans, and is solving a major problem in the U.S. today!"

One day while driving in San Francisco, where he now works and lives with his wife, Eric noticed a gentleman with a "Homeless Veteran" sign asking for money. "I thought, 'I bet 20 years ago, this man never thought he would be here, now, in this situation. What about me?' This was the thing that motivated me to go to the VA to get a mental check-up. I hadn't thought much about how PTSD would affect me long term until that day. Fast forward three years; I have finished both Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure Therapy at the VA and learned some great tools to help me reintegrate into society. I'm not sure if the man I saw that day had the same experience, but I wish he had. Maybe his circumstances would be different."

Eric's company, Active Duty Passive Income, teaches Veterans, active duty service members, spouses and family members how to invest in real estate. "We believe those who have served should not just live in, but OWN as much of America as possible. Our brothers- and sisters-in-arms that don't have a roof over their heads need help. And if we can provide that help, it must be done. My goal has now shifted from donating one house in 2020 to helping VCP end Veteran homelessness in the US this decade. And it will be done!"

To make a gift to VCP in support of Eric's tiny home sponsorship in Longmont, CO, visit our website.