Arnold Schwarzenegger gave $250,000 for 25 small homes to homeless vets in West Los Angeles, giving many a gift of Christmas early.
Schwarzenegger worked in coordination with Village for Vets (a nonprofit dedicated to sheltering homeless veterans and providing food for them), Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough, and the volunteer group AMVETS to construct tiny houses.
Today, Christmas was celebrated early by me. The 25 homeless veteran homes that I donated were put in place here in LA by the film icon and former governor of California.
“It was amazing to spend some quality time with our heroes. Schwarzenegger became inspired after reading a report on a homeless veteran’s tent that was being removed by LA. It was then taken down by LA and the occupants were given tiny homes.
Village for Vets announced Thursday that Schwarzenegger’s donation of $250,000 to the non-profit’made it possible for the organization to purchase and construct the remaining 25 shelters at Los Angeles VA’s Care Treatment Rehabilitative Services site (CTRS).
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Arnold Schwarzenegger (pictured) donated $250,000 personally to help build 25 homes for West Los Angeles homeless veterans on Thursday. This gave dozens a Christmas present before Christmas.
Fourteen of the 25 tiny houses were constructed with $250k donated funds by Arnold Schwarzenegger. They were then given to homeless vets in Los Angeles just before Christmas.
Photo: Many homeless veterans thanked Schwarzenegger personally
Today, I was able to celebrate Christmas earlier than usual. Former Governor of California announced Thursday that the 25 homes he donated to homeless vets were now in LA. (pictured above)
Elex Michaelson hosts ‘The Issue is’, FOX 11 Los Angeles.
‘If it isn’t bodybuilding, if it isn’t business, if it isn’t show business, movies and politics — whatever I tackled I achieved because of America, so to me, it’s always great to give something back.’
In an interview, Bruce Henry Cooper, a veteran of the Army thanked Schwarzenegger personally
‘It’s been a life-saver for me,’ Cooper, who lives in one of the tiny homes, told the outlet, adding that the former governor ‘has not forgotten…anybody.’
Rob Reynolds, an American Veterans member, told FOX 11 that the tiny homes include a furnished bed, electricity, heating and air conditioning.
Village for Vets receives donations to support its tiny shelters. These shelters ‘offer an elevated standard living environment from tent encampments as veterans travel to permanent housing and stability and provide essential services for homeless veterans and those at risk,’ according to the website.
This is the interior of a tiny home.
Rob Reynolds of American Veterans said that tiny homes have a bed and electricity.
Pictured: many of the homeless living in West Los Angeles encampments are veterans, 25 of which are now living inside tiny homes provided by Arnold Schwarzenegger
Kansas City, Missouri has an alternative village with tiny homes for vets. There are 49 of these tiny houses available for homeless vets.
These homes are sized from 240-320 square feet and meet all city codes. They also have the ability to connect to local utilities.
Staff on-site, similar to Missouri’s VCP Village provide the emotional and spiritual space that veterans and their support staff need to address the root causes of homelessness.
Website reads: “Together the veterans and VCP’s specially trained case managers achieve incremental, long-lasting results in the areas health and wellness. Education, employment, financial literacy. and the development of personal support networks.
VCP helps the Veteran to find permanent housing once their goals have been met. When the veteran moves into a new home, they are allowed to keep the whole contents.