Community project houses homeless veterans Published April 3, 2009 By Staff Sgt. Chad Thompson 90th Missile Wing Public Affairs F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- The Community Action of Laramie County (CALC), Inc., staff is looking for volunteers to help with a project building a four-plex house for homeless veterans. The house is for homeless veterans willing to enroll in a program to end homelessness through continued education and other services offered by the Veteran's Affairs, said Doug Nickerson, CALC housing program manager. "The apartment will house eight qualified veterans for a 24-month period," Mr. Nickerson said. "One requirement for qualification is the veterans received something other than a dishonorable discharge before getting out of the military." Along with shelter, the project includes paying for utilities, supplying transportation, providing meals and offering community outreach to help the veterans get off the streets, Mr. Nickerson said. The house is a four-unit apartment, with two bedrooms per unit, he explained. Electric, heat and lighting will be provided, and each unit will have a refrigerator, stove, a dining table and chairs, two easy chairs, an end table, and a twin bed and a four-dresser drawer in each bedroom. Tenants will have two years to make positive progress toward becoming self sufficient and getting back on their feet, Mr. Nickerson said. "When you volunteer for a project like this, you don't think about the satisfaction you get out of it until you're working and seeing the progress that you're making," said Staff Sgt. Tambria Owens, 90th Security Forces Squadron and volunteer worker for the house. "This project is going to mean a lot to many people who were once in our shoes: making a pay check month to month, living in government quarters and not having to worry about healthcare," she added. "At any given time we have about 150 veterans living on the streets in Laramie County," Mr. Nickerson said. "And in my eyes, if someone has sacrificed so much for this country they deserve a home to live in." He said the Community Action of Laramie County mission is dedicated to eliminating poverty by educating people and providing opportunities to allow people to become self sufficient. The project has been ongoing for almost two years, but it really won't finish without volunteers, Mr. Nickerson said. There is a big push to have the house completed by May so that it opens on the two year anniversary of the groundbreaking. Hours for the build are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to about 5 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information or to volunteer, call Community Action of Laramie County at 635-9291 or visit http://www.calc.net/housing_project.asp.