Tiny houses, big dreams

“Housing is a critical component of life,” says Paul Cockerham, chief development officer at Purple Heart Homes, a non-profit, veterans-focused organization. “Everybody wants a safe place to call home.” But with an acute shortage of affordable homes in the US¹, the journey for veterans from the battlefield to a settled life on the home front can be an uphill struggle.

“Homelessness is something that, statistically speaking, veterans struggle with a little more than the general population,” says Cockerham. “So, we’re trying to address that.”

“The veterans that we’re helping aren’t outliers, they’ve just had some circumstance in their life that’s maybe driven them to where they might not want to be, and might not know how to recover from,” he says.

That’s why JELD-WEN's VPI Quality Windows donated windows and $10,000 to help build 12 tiny homes for U.S. military veterans. What better way for a door and window company to help those who took care of us when they were in the military and return the favor to them?

The VPI team built the tiny homes in its 23,000-square-foot warehouse in Statesville, North Carolina and delivered them to veterans with a flag-raising and completion ceremony. They allow those who have been unhoused for an extended period to use the skills and have the confidence to live on their own.

Doing business responsibly: the JELD-WEN mindset

For JELD-WEN VPI Quality Windows associate Willie Alexander, who served in the U.S. Navy on board the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, the issue really hit home.

“When I was stationed in San Diego, it hurt my heart to see all the veterans sleeping on the street, sleeping on cardboard, on benches. It bothered me,” said Alexander. “I feel like I want to do whatever I can to help other veterans.”

JELD-WEN’s most recent ESG report tells more about the company’s strong commitment to social sustainability and its ambitions to make safe, secure homes for everyone and support diversity and inclusivity in the communities it touches.

Cockerham says the JELD-WEN partnership is essential. “We can’t do it without donations like this. We are making a real, tangible positive impact, a financially positive impact to the veterans that we serve, and we are so happy to have JELD-WEN VPI on board.”

You can read more about JELD-WEN's commitment to responsibility in the 2022 ESG report.

REFERENCE:

¹ https://nlihc.org/news/nlihc-released-today-gap-shortage-affordable-homes