A homeless veteran living in North Carolina has received the keys to a Winston-Salem home thanks to a local nonprofit that provides veterans with permanent housing solutions.
“First thing I said was thank you Jesus and thank you God for the people who allow me to even come in the house,” veteran Dworn Ricks told WXII. “That was the greatest thing, to know that I have somewhere to go.”
Ricks – who served his country for 14 years, most of them in the National Guard – has lived “in and out of his car” over the past couple of years, WXII reported.
“In 2021, 19,750 veterans were experiencing sheltered homelessness,” which accounts for “11 out of every 10,000 veterans in the country,” per the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Thankfully for Ricks, Housing 4 Our Heroes was able to step in and provide the North Carolina veteran with a home.
“Housing 4 Our Heroes is a permanent housing project” by the North Carolina-based nonprofit organization Whole Man Ministries “that helps homeless veterans in Winston-Salem obtain safe, energy efficient homes with supportive services,” the organization’s website states.
Senior Pastor Barry Washington, who heads Whole Man Ministries, told WXII that the organization will mostly find houses that are “rundown” and then will buy them to fix them up.
However, the process of fixing up this property took longer than expected as the organization had difficulties bringing in funds to finish the project.
“It was a long journey here. It actually took us 11 months to do this because we rely on volunteers and funding,” Washington told the WS Chronicle. “We got to a point where we couldn’t go any further, but we had a couple come along and agree to fund the final leg of the process.”
Tom and Julie Dubuisson helped provide the necessary funds to finish off the last leg of the project, the Chronicle noted. Tom also assisted with the contracting work during the construction stage.
With the help of the Dubuissons and being selected by Washington after an interview process, Ricks was able to exit homelessness and get back on his feet.
“I felt like it was a dream come true,” Ricks said to the Chronicle. “I think it was a blessing when I met Mr. Washington. Things happen and they happen quick and I was thrilled to death to receive this.”
Ricks will not have to wait too long for a new neighbor, as the organization has already gotten to work on renovating the home next door for another veteran to move into.
You can follow Ethan Letkeman on Twitter at @EthanLetkeman.