Members From the St. Louis Battlehawk Organization to Lend a Hand on Installation Day
Renewal St. Louis donating more than $235,000 of in-kind materials and labor as part of “Renewal Cares” initiatives
In a collaborative effort to expand housing opportunities for veterans experiencing homelessness, Renewal by Andersen of St. Louis, Renewal by Andersen of Central PA (RbA), and The Birner Group will install windows and doors for 16 new Phase II transitional homes at Veterans Community Project (VCP) on Friday, June 19.
In February, The Birner Group—a nationally respected leader in the home solutions industry led by Paul Birner and Austin Birner—announced one of the largest private in-kind donations in VCP’s history. Valued at more than $235,000, the in-kind contribution of windows, doors and labor will support Phase II of Veterans Community Project’s tiny home village, which provides transitional housing and supportive services for veterans experiencing homelessness in the St. Louis area.
JUNE 19TH INSTALLATION DAY:
WHO:
U.S. Army Veteran Deshauna Barber-Echols, Executive Director, Veterans Community Project of St. Louis
Austin Birner, CEO, The Birner Group-Renewal by Andersen
Linda Johnston, Chief Culture Officer, The Birner Group-Renewal by Andersen
Renewal by Andersen of St. Louis, Renewal by Andersen of Central PA, Members from the St. Louis
Battlehawk Organization
***Some RbA employees who worked on the Central PA VOPA project will travel to St. Louis to assist with the VCP installation.
WHAT: Renewal by Andersen Certified Master Installers – including veteran employees and volunteers – will construct windows and doors at Veterans Community Project (VCP) “Tiny Homes Phase II” expansion in St. Louis, MO, supporting housing and services for local veterans through a day of community service and partnership. Plus, all eight Birner Group – Renewal by Andersen affiliates are collecting VCP “Wish List” items to be delivered.
WHERE: Veterans Community Project of St. Louis, 1515 N Grand, St Louis, MO 63106. Parking is available in the lot adjacent to the Outreach Center. Park & proceed to Phase II construction area outdoors.
WHEN: Friday, June 19th all day.
***NOTE: Media Availability/Tour 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. CST Media invited and requested to RSVP. Interviews will be available.
WHY: Veterans are 50% more likely than the general United States population to experience homelessness at some point in their lives. And on any given night, more than 30,000 Veterans are sleeping on city streets in the country they took the oath to serve.
Construction is currently underway to expand the community with 16 new transitional homes for Veterans. This expansion will further the organization’s resources to those who have served our country and need assistance getting back on their feet. This additional housing will bring the entire project closer to its goal of 50 fully furnished tiny homes designed to help Veterans transition from homelessness to permanent housing. Veterans Community Project is in the Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood in north St. Louis.
“Those who have served our nation deserve access to secure housing, widespread support, and meaningful opportunities to build a brighter future. At Renewal by Andersen, we are honored to contribute our resources, expertise, and volunteer efforts to an important project such as this that contributes to lasting stability for our veterans who have fallen on hard times. These new homes represent more than transitional housing—they provide a foundation for growth, independence, trust, community and hope. We are proud to stand alongside Veterans Community Project and encourage others throughout the region to join us in supporting this essential and life-changing mission,” said CEO Austin Birner, The Birner Group—Renewal by Andersen.
“We are incredibly grateful to Paul and Austin and Renewal by Andersen and The Birner Group for their generosity and commitment to veterans in the St. Louis region. Their support is helping accelerate the expansion of our Village, allowing us to provide more veterans with safe transitional housing and the supportive services they need to achieve lasting stability and success. All these resources are needed to rebuild their lives and allow them to thrive. This important collaboration is extremely critical to advancing our mission,” said Deshauna Barber-Echols, Veterans Community Project of St. Louis Executive Director and U.S. Army Veteran (Ret.).
“Our Veterans have dedicated their lives to serving our nation and they deserve the dignity of comfortable housing, as well as a caring community to provide essential resources, and a network that embraces them, especially during challenging times. Through our Renewal Cares initiative, we are honored to invest in projects that create lasting change, and this one that uplifts our veterans is especially meaningful to our entire team. We believe strongly in supporting the communities where we live, work and raise our families. We are deeply thankful to our customers, whose trust in Renewal makes community partnerships like this possible, and we hope to inspire others to join in supporting those who have served,” said Linda Johnston, Chief Culture Officer, The Birner Group – Renewal by Andersen.
Currently, 20 tiny homes are completed, with some already occupied by Veterans. Each individual tiny home is 240-square-feet and provides more than just shelter. Residents receive on-site support, including case management, mental health services, job training, and assistance navigating benefits. The entire village is expected to be a tremendous difference-maker in the lives of veterans experiencing homelessness.
Veterans Community Project not only provides a transitional housing model but also serves any Veterans in the region through their Outreach Center. They provide food boxes, hygiene kits, emergency assistance, benefits navigation, career coaching, community partner referrals and other critical resources.
Ways to help include:
- Volunteering at the construction site or Outreach Center.
- Donating goods for Veterans.
- Making financial contributions to support future construction and services.
- Visit VCP.org for more information on how to get involved.
Once complete, the nearly four-acre Village will include 50 fully furnished tiny homes for individuals and families, alongside a 3,000-square-foot Village Center with a kitchen, wellness spaces, classrooms, and more. Each home is built on a permanent foundation and connected to city utilities, complete with a kitchen, bathroom, and living space designed for safety, comfort, and healing.
About The Birner Group – Renewal by Andersen (RbA)
The Birner Group – is an award-winning home improvement company overseeing Renewal by Andersen operations in multiple regions including St. Louis, Southwest Missouri, Memphis, Little Rock, Southern Louisiana, and Central PA. The Birner Group – Renewal by Andersen is heavily invested in serving the regions where they operate through their “Renewal Cares” give-back initiatives to support community needs, nonprofit organizations, special projects and families they serve and where their employees and customers live, work and raise their families.
RbA is known for its strong culture, operational excellence, and commitment to customer experience and community giving through its “Renewal Cares” initiatives. Several nonprofits they support include TASKStl, Veterans Community Project of St. Louis, UCP Heartland, Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, the St. Louis ARC, American Cancer Society, Salvation Army Corps and food banks in all RbA regions, Veterans Outreach of PA, PSFCA Big 33, YWCA of Greater Harrisburg, PA Dairymen’s Association, The Peyton Walker Foundation, Ronald McDonald House, Speranza, Alex W. Smith Foundation, All You Can Inc., Dauphin County CASA, LLS, and beyond.
The company is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, with the leadership of CEO Austin Birner and President Paul Birner.
About Veterans Community Project (VCP)
Veterans Community Project (VCP), a national nonprofit on a mission to fix Veteran homelessness, is constructing Phase II of “its transitional housing Village in St. Louis.” VCP operates six campuses across the nation, including one in St. Louis, Missouri who opened its doors in August of 2023.
Veterans Community Project of St. Louis welcomes veterans across the St. Louis metro area, offering a range of support services that are tailored to each Veteran. Its goal is to help Veterans get a fresh start along with the support and resources needed to move into permanent housing. Village Community Centers offer classrooms, case management, wellness, healthcare, community, wraparound services, fellowship, shared areas and more.
In 2016, a group of combat Veterans with a shared dedication to do better for their fellow Veterans founded Veterans Community Project (VCP). Since then, they are changing lives by building Villages of transitional tiny homes for Veterans experiencing homelessness. Since 2016, VCP’s flagship Village and national headquarters have operated in Kansas City, Missouri. VCP has become a leading national Veteran nonprofit across the country. In addition to VCP of Kansas City, they have expanded to locations in: St. Louis, Missouri; Longmont, Colorado; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Glendale, Arizona; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Learn more at vcp.org.
Background on Renewal by Andersen of Central PA Veterans’ Support:
In 2023, Renewal by Andersen of Central PA teams installed doors and windows in the new Veterans Outreach of Pennsylvania’s (VOPA) 15 tiny homes and a community center at Veterans Grove in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. VOPA addresses housing, counseling, educational, employment, health and nutritional needs of veterans who are experiencing homelessness. RbA of Central PA has given over $560,000 to VOPA in in-kind materials and labor, plus annual support to help build and operate the homes and community center.