Help Us Expand the Veterans Support Center – Because No Veteran Should Stand Alone
Every day in Tampa Bay, veterans walk through our doors carrying invisible weight.
Some are sleeping in their cars.
Some are fighting addiction.
Some are battling depression and isolation.
Some simply need someone who understands.
At the One Community Now Veterans Support Center, we provide something many veterans are missing: a safe place to belong.
Right now, our center is open Monday through Thursday from 10 AM to 2 PM. During those limited hours, we provide:
Free hot meals and food
Showers and laundry facilities for homeless veterans
Clothing and hygiene supplies
Assistance with housing and rental stabilization
Help navigating VA benefits
Legal and medical referrals
Mental health support and recovery connections
Peer camaraderie and purpose
And it works.
Jerry’s Story
Jerry came to us homeless, with a less-than-honorable discharge that blocked his access to benefits. He needed food, shelter, and someone willing to fight with him.
We helped him secure housing, navigate legal barriers, enroll in services, and regain stability. We even provided a no-interest micro-loan so he could complete required probation classes. Once he received back pay, Jerry repaid the loan—and then donated $1,000 so another veteran could get the same second chance.
Today, Jerry is employed, rebuilding his life, and working toward full restoration of his benefits.
That’s what happens when veterans are surrounded by community instead of bureaucracy.
The Reality
We serve hundreds of veterans each year. At Operation Stand Down alone, more than 500 veterans access critical services in a single weekend. Many of them continue receiving support year-round at our center.
But we are outgrowing our space.
Our building is too small for the demand.
Veterans sometimes wait outside due to limited room.
Our parking lot is unpaved and poorly graded.
During heavy rain, access becomes difficult.
Limited parking discourages older and disabled veterans from coming.
We cannot expand services without expanding our facility.
Why This Matters
For a veteran struggling with PTSD, addiction, or homelessness, walking into a welcoming space can mean the difference between hope and despair.
When the parking lot is full, they may turn around.
When the building is overcrowded, they may not come back.
When hours are limited, they may miss critical help.
We want to:
Expand the building to create more meeting and service space
Add additional private areas for mental health and VA assistance
Pave and grade the parking lot to increase accessible parking
Improve safety and accessibility for disabled and senior veterans
Expand from four days a week to five days a week
This isn’t about bricks and asphalt.
It’s about access.
It’s about dignity.
It’s about saving lives.
What Makes Our Model Unique
Our Veterans Support Center is more than a service site. It is a community hub built by veterans, for veterans.
Here, veterans sit together over coffee.
They check on one another.
They share job leads.
They pray together.
They heal together.
Many say it’s the only place they feel understood.
Other communities have reached out to us to learn how we built this model. It works because it combines practical assistance with belonging.
We don’t just hand out resources.
We walk beside people until they stabilize.
The Growing Need
Housing costs are rising.
Food prices continue to climb.
Mental health struggles are increasing.
Senior veterans are facing isolation.
Substance use recovery requires long-term support.
We cannot meet growing demand in a cramped space with limited parking.
Your donation directly fuels:
Construction expansion
Site grading and parking lot paving
Accessibility improvements
Increased capacity to serve more veterans daily
Expanded operating hours
Every square foot added equals more lives impacted.
Every new parking space removes a barrier.
Every expanded hour increases access to care.
Imagine This
A fully paved, accessible parking lot.
An expanded building with dedicated counseling space.
Five full days of service every week.
More veterans inside receiving help instead of waiting outside.
That future is within reach — but only with community support.
Join Us
Our veterans stood for us.
Now it’s our turn to stand for them.
If you believe no veteran should face homelessness alone…
If you believe access to benefits should not depend on navigating red tape alone…
If you believe healing happens in community…
Please invest in our Veterans Support Center Building Fund.
Your generosity will create a stronger, safer, more accessible home for those who once defended ours.
Together, we can expand hope.
Together, we can build belonging.
Together, we can ensure that every veteran who walks through our doors finds support, dignity, and community.
Help us build the space they deserve.
