PHOENIX — Volunteers from the local carpenters union and Habitat for Humanity are building homes for unsheltered female veterans in Phoenix.
The group US Vets is also building the houses and plans to offer resources to their residents.
"We do offer therapy, classes, workforce re-entry, all of that good stuff to get them going along with the housing,” said Shontell DiNello Legé, a coordinator with U.S.VETS.
On Saturday, carpenters from Southwest Carpenters Local 1912 worked on two side-by-side, five bedroom homes that will offer transitional housing for female veterans.
Nearly 40,000 veterans are homeless, according to the VA.
And while the homeless rate has improved over the years it did increase in 2020.
Organizers told ABC15 giving women their own campus can eliminate some of the problems they face.
"We do have females on our site currently but we are majority male so this gives them more of a safe place to be able to come, program and focus on what they need,” Legé added.
Meanwhile, officials with the union told ABC15 it feels good to give back.
“It’s just a great opportunity to help out veterans, we feel an indebtedness to them,” said Tom Smock, the chairman of the union’s volunteer committee.
Construction on the project started on Veterans Day and is scheduled to wrap up in May.
For more information or to volunteer, contact the US VETS volunteer coordinator at slege@usvets.org.