Myrtle Beach, S. C. - On Saturday morning, November 9, 2024, twenty-five tiny homes stood ready for occupancy by homeless veterans in the culmination of a year long building project. Hundreds of guests from dozens of organizations who contributed to or sponsored these tiny homes, including members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Calabash post 7288 Auxiliary, gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Myrtle Beach property named the Tiny Homes Village.

 

The homes proudly stood along broad concrete sidewalks awaiting their new occupants. Visitors wandered throughout the village peaking into open doors. Inside they saw the small but comfortably furnished spaces. Each residence, intended for a single occupant, was reminiscent of a college dorm room, but stood as a separate, personal tiny house, rather than rooms in an apartment building. This gives the veterans independence and responsibility. The front door opened to a spacious sitting room with a couch that converts to a bed. A bureau of drawers provides storage space, while above it on the wall is a flat screen television to provide entertainment. On the opposite wall is a kitchen sink, cabinet, small refrigerator and microwave. Completing the space is a separate bathroom and shower.

 

This project is the fulfillment of a vision by the Veterans Welcome Home and Resource Center (VWHRC) located in Little River, North Carolina to provide living space for Homeless Vets. Originally opened in May of 2009, their founding belief is that all Military Veterans have earned recognition, respect, and assistance from the nation they so honorably served.  In keeping with that ideal, VWHRC invited veterans of all eras and all services to visit their office in Little River.  Over the first three years, hundreds of vets responded to this invitation.  Some came out of curiosity. Some came to share their personal stories as Vets.  But, by far, the most common visitor’s conversations started with "I have a question” or "I have a problem”. The volunteers at VWHRC discovered that they had answers and they had solutions.

The need for Veteran’s living arrangements became paramount. There are currently 300 to 500 homeless veterans in our community. This is unacceptable, especially for men and woman who served in our military maintaining  the freedoms we so abundantly enjoy. The mission of the VWHRC is to end veteran homelessness. Vets completing rehabilitation programs for drug and alcohol dependency, homeless Vets, and those recently discharged from the military with no permanent home to return to are all examples being addressed by the Veterans Reintegration Project. Within the scope of the project, Vets in need will be provided with a clean, safe place to live and an individually designed development plan that will lead to independent living and the opportunity to become productive members of society. In this shared living environment, all residents must also agree to share responsibility for household tasks such as cleaning, cooking, building maintenance, etc.  They can also receive the benefits of professional care and counseling, as long as they adhere to their development plan and maintain a clean and sober lifestyle. 

The Tiny Homes Village is located on 3rd Ave North in Myrtle Beach not far from the iconic sky wheel. Veterans will have a clean, safe place to call home. As a community of veterans, volunteers will be able to help vets as they help themselves and each other in their day to day lives and activities. The village will also be a place for Vets to find familiarity with one another, making it feel more like home.  The goal is for the residents to get their feet under them so they can move up and move out. In addition to housing, the VWHRC offers assistance to local honorably discharged veterans with job placement, VA claim filing and financial advice.

When the veterans arrive at their new home, beginning Tuesday November 12,  they will find a welcome package provided by the VFW Calabash post 7288 Auxiliary containing some of the essentials to make the house a home. Each of the 25 veterans welcome packages includes a clothes hamper, trash can, towels, a gift certificate for bedding, a complete set of dish ware, utensils  and glasses, microwave cookware, a first aid kit and a flashlight.

As the hour of noon approached the veterans composing the color guard made their final adjustments, restlessly shifting in place as they waited for the moment they would march forward to open the ribbon-cutting ceremony. A colorful balloon arch, leading to the pathway into the homes stood next to a welcome tent, where officials waited for the ceremony to begin. Veterans holding American flags, dancing in the breeze, formed an avenue leading to the Welcome tent. The crowd of visitors gathered, extending the Avenue for the color guard to march through. At the stroke of noon the colorguard came forward, and the ceremony began. Officials made a few brief remarks, thanking the volunteers,  before using giant scissors to clip the ribbon, officially opening the tiny village as the crowd applauded.

Behind the crowd of visitors stood an empty lot where soon a community center and eight additional duplex units will be built. The community center will have a full kitchen, laundry facilities, and a community room, making the village even more independent. While this project is only a small step toward solving Veteran homelessness, it is anything but tiny in the lives of the veterans they help. For more information, to volunteer or to contribute, please visit VWHRC.org.