Cy-Fair Women's Club Selects Tunnel to Towers Veteran Village as Adopt-A-Cause Recipient
In an uplifting display of solidarity and respect for our nation’s brave heroes, the Cy-Fair Women's Club (CWC) has chosen to support another force for good in the community – the Tunnel to Towers Veteran Village.
Presenting a check for $10,000, the CWC selected the Village as their 2024 Adopt-A-Cause recipient.
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation was established in 2001, in honor of FDNY Firefighter Stephen Siller, who laid down his life to save others on 9/11.
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation supports America’s heroes by providing mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children and by building specially adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. Tunnel to Towers' newest mission is to eradicate veteran homelessness nationwide.
Members of the CWC presenting their Adopt-A-Cause check to the Tunnel to Towers has made significant strides toward its mission, transforming a former 161-room hotel into a fully-equipped housing complex to offer both permanent and transitional housing to 131 veterans.
The Houston Veterans Village, located on Highway 249 near FM 1960, has been serving as a beacon of hope for veterans in need of support for over 100 veterans since its grand opening in November of last year. With their fully furnished studio apartments and standalone comfort homes intended as permanent housing for senior citizen veterans, the Houston location stands as the organization’s flagship property. Since its opening, Tunnel to Towers has broken ground on the next two Veteran Villages in Georgia and Florida, with six additional groundbreaking planned before the end of the year.
On Friday, June 28th, 2024, the donation from the CWC, an organization renowned for its charitable efforts in the community, was proudly presented with several CWC members, Tunnel to Towers Veteran Village staff and residents, and other community supporters in attendance.
"We want to thank you, the men and women of our armed forces – our forever patriots," said Sara, a representative from CWC. "Coming from a family full of veterans, this charity holds a very special place in my heart. It is our honor and privilege to present to the Tunnel to Towers Veteran Village our donation."
Sara, far right, presenting the CWC's Adopt-A-Cause check to the After the check presentation, Kim De Lorenzo, Community Relations Manager for the Tunnel to Towers Homeless Veteran Program in Houston, proudly gave a tour of the impeccably clean, bright, and inviting facility to all attendees. "It has been a tremendous blessing to have the Pink Ladies of the Cy-Fair Women's Club support our mission and to also join them in theirs by giving back to the communities we all serve. Their generosity of time, resources, and heart have made our residents truly feel welcome and cared for.”
During the tour, Navy veteran Christopher Jewell, a resident of the Village, joined the group, sharing how the Village has given him another chance to rebuild his life after struggling with homelessness and the after-effects of his tour in Afghanistan. Unable to get the resources and support he needed in his hometown of New Orleans, Jewell traveled to Texas in hopes that he could find it here. At the Tunnel to Towers Veteran Village in Houston, Jewell was welcomed with open arms and given the support, resources, and housing he desperately needed to get back on his feet.
“Resident rooms are comfortable, easy to keep clean. This place loves us back to a place where we can love ourselves (resident veteran) - from NOLA, had to come to Texas to get help. A place like this cleans you up inside and out so you can get out and go,” Jewell shared.
CWC members, Tunnel to Towers Foundation staff and Houston Veterans Village residents learn more about the The funds presented by CWC will be utilized in the second phase of the Houston Veterans Village's development, which will include 14 additional comfort homes and an outdoor social area with a pavilion to support resident engagement, support, and healing. Vice President of the Homeless Veteran Program, Gavin Naples, elaborated, "We will begin construction in the next few weeks and hope to be completed by the end of 2024. This generous donation will help to provide beautiful landscaping and green space for our residents to enjoy once this project is completed."
The CWC arrived at the decision to support Tunnel to Towers after careful consideration, recognizing the Village's significant work towards ending veteran homelessness and appreciating their efficient use of donations, with 95% going directly to its programs.
Beyond housing, the Village also offers a range of supportive services including counseling and career development, reinforcing the organization's wrap-around approach to veteran support.
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation will deliver 200 mortgage-free homes this year to Gold Star Families, Fallen First Responder Families, and smart homes to catastrophically injured service members and first responders.
As the Village continues its tireless efforts to support its veterans, they are also looking forward to their annual Tunnel to Towers 5K at John Paul Landing Park in September, an event aimed at honoring all those who laid down their lives on 9/11, those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, and those who continue to serve today. To register, visit the event website to partake in this noble cause.
To learn more about the Tunnel to Towers Veteran Village in Houston and how you can support the organization’s mission to eradicate veteran homelessness across the country, visit T2T.org.
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.
