Support Community Housing for Combat Veterans with PTSD/TBI

We have been at war for over 20 years. Our soldiers are being sent on more combat tours than ever before. as a result of that, MANY, combat veterans and their loved ones (spouses, children, parents, friends of our beloved veterans) suffer from the impact of PTS (Post Traumatic Stress) and/or TBI (Traumatic Brain Industry). PTSD/TBI is a symptom and effect of war that has residual effects on our brave and strong soldiers for a lifetime. We are an organization in the South Eastern United States that has the opportunity to create a community to be called DAE (David Allen Elliott) Compound. The property consists of 18 acres and has an existing home that has 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. The community is fully functioning now as a private residence but our organization has it currently under contract to purchase. The property also boasts a large, stocked fishing pond and a large greenhouse equipped with a gas blower heater for winter growing as well as summer. We believe the pond and greenhouse will two of many, many amenities to entice healing and peace to the residents here. The property also has a barn/carriage house with a fully functioning 1 bedroom, 1 bath apartment upstairs. Downstairs of the barn comes fully equipped with a tractor, mower and other ground keeping tools. OUR VISION MOVING FORWARD IS TO ADD 20-30 TINY HOMES within the 18 acres and ultimately take the main house and re allocate that structure as a Clubhouse, common area so residents can have this as sort of a family living room, kitchen, laundry, etc. environment.

The concept of having a community whereby combat soldiers can live in a common community alongside fellow comrades of the same experiences will bring healing and cohesiveness that will serve the Veterans in the communities where they reside now. Isolation is a huge multiplier of symptoms of chronic PTSD and so many live in isolation, having been shunned by community, family and general social abandonment. Often, this leads, ultimately to suicide, in one form or another. The suicide rate among our Veterans is growing every year. The US Government and the Veterans Administration understand that throwing money to the VA on the federal level is not helping. The US Senate has a special Senate Committee, with Chairman Johnny Isakson (Senator for Georgia) and Veterans Affairs Secretary Wilkie really rolling up their sleeves with BIPARTISAN support from Congress and the Senate to pass down money directly to communities so that the veterans can be served and heal ‘in place’ in the native region (home). The VA has NOFA (Notice of Funds Available) as of March 19, 2019 within the 2019 Federal Budget. There are funds earmarked now for the exact purpose of bringing more Supportive Housing Solution to grass roots Communities, Not State or Federal Funds. Community earmarked funds to aid local communities where these Veterans live right now. It is called the VA Grant/PerDiem program. Our project, the DAE Compound, that we are speaking about in this petition needs and seeks a grant from the VA Grant/Per Diem program. Our project, the DAE Compound has the knowledge, the resources and the subject property under contract now that can immediately provide a community serving no less than 6 soldiers with room left for case worker offices, etc. Our organization needs one lacking component. A grant writer to help write the complicated grant application for the VA Grant/Per Diem money allotment process. The person who held this job position for the SE region of the US, in Atlanta, has retired leaving there no one there to assist in the grant application. The next official I can appeal to for help in grant application process is Jeffrey Quarles, National Director of the VA Grant/Per Diem program. Also, I can and have, reached out to GA Senator/Chairman Johnny Isakson for assistance in the grant writing process but Senator Isakson is wrapping up his gracious years of honorable service in the Senate early due to health conditions. Having a vacancy of the Atlanta Director of VA Grant per Diem unfilled and the imminent departure of Senator Johnny Isakson is the reason our group is getting even more creative, via this petition to gain momentum and get citizens to come to our aid with their ‘John Handcoks’ as it were!