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Operation Vets First and veterans affiliated groups gathered at Centennial Park Saturday to raise awareness for the issues of homeless veterans. PHOTO/TERRY LLOYD
St. Cloud-based Operation Vets First Foundation hosted an event Saturday to raise awareness and funding, to provide both housing for homeless veterans and first responders, and low to no-cost home repairs as well.
The Festival was held in Centennial Park, across from St. Cloud City Hall. A total of 16 veterans organizations, agencies, and vendors displayed at the event, including local representatives of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Saturday’s sponsors included Granny’s Southern Smoke House, the I Got Your 6 Foundation, both in St. Cloud, and the Sworn to Serve Apparel Co. The event was well attended as of the mid to late-morning hours.
St. Cloud veteran Bernie Edwards started the Operation Vet First Foundation (OVF) one year ago.
“We are working to build a Tiny Home community for homeless vets and first responders,” Edwards said.
Their first step is to construct a mobile full-sized “model” of an actual tiny home, so the concept can be displayed at other events. The organization is then looking to acquire property and raise funding for a homeless veteran and first responder community located in Osceola County.
Tiny houses can either be mobile or permanent. There are numerous Tiny Home communities across the U.S., including Orlando Lakefront at College Park, which only allows towable homes and currently has a waiting list for lots. OVF’s concept is for its tiny homes to be permanent, constructed on a foundation slab. A similar project specifically for homeless veterans has been constructed in Kansas City Missouri and several more are in various stages of construction across the country, including one project in the Jacksonville area.
OVF currently offers home repair and renovation/ modification assistance to active duty military, veterans, and first responders in need. For more information on OVF and its programs see https://bit.ly/45b3gOd
