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Description
Identify eligible homeless veterans and provide them with solutions to two of the most significant barriers to successfully leaving homelessness behind and achieving success as they define it.
—A home that meets their needs with a physical address.
—The mobility to take a skills-based job of their choosing anywhere in the country.
As of 2020, there were more than 11,000 veterans living in California without a home. Our organization seeks to improve this situation by focusing on solving two key problems for one individual at a time.
Making an ambulance into a home
- Locate an Ambulance.
Our process starts by locating and acquiring a retired ambulance. Auction sites and direct donation are the two ways we usually get them. The ambulance is often NOT located near our current location in Southern California. We then need to have someone local inspect the ambulance before we arrange transport. We are hoping to establish agreements with SoCalFire Departments to donate vehicles as they are retired.
- Identify a Recipient.
Primarily, we will coordinate through the Department of Veterans Affairs to identify a homeless veteran in southern California that is a good fit for our program. We are looking for someone that is ready to leave the city, is interested in the outdoors and adventure, and is likely looking for work in skilled technical fields like welding, mechanic, or construction.
- Bring Recipient to the Site
The first problem we are solving is making sure our program participants have a physical address to use for correspondence with the VA, to put on applications for training and support, and to put on their resume. This home on the camper build site will be temporary but will also teach some of the skills they will need living in a tiny home.
- Design the Home.
With the help of our team, the recipient chooses a suite of options for the layout inside the ambulance. There are many options related to shower and toilet, bed and “garage” space, and cooking options. The internal layout will be designed in 3D software so everyone can visualize what the home will look like when it is completed. For examples, click here.
- Build It!
The program participant and our team will work together to build the home inside the ambulance. While this build process is going, our build site will provide a safe temporary home, food, and clothing support from local donors. Our participants will also receive support for building their resume, locating jobs nationwide, and conducting job interviews.
- Share the journey
Our team will be documenting and presenting the process of returning from homelessness for each of our participants. We will learn about their time in the military, how they ended up without a home, and what they see their future shaping up to be. All of this will be shared on our YouTube channel.
Wrap it up!
The final step in the process is to make the vehicle look like a Rescue + Residence home and send our recipient and the vehicle off to their new job and new home and hopefully greater adventures. We are hoping each participant will create their own channel to tell their stories where we can follow them as they establish themselves in a whole new life. We look forward to meeting each of you as we work together to change someone’s life.
We need your help to restore dignity to those that served us all.
LOCATION / PROFESSIONAL INFORMATION
- Phone : (760) 974-2501
- Mail : daniel.belew@rescueresidence.org
- Website : https://www.rescueresidence.org/
