Renovation of Warrior Home’s 10-unit apartment complex to house 20 homeless veterans is getting a financial boost from a longstanding foundation.
The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, founded by Best Buy’s founder who lives in Naples and Minnesota, has pledged a $250,000 challenge grant to the nonprofit Warrior Homes.
It is the largest grant award to the Warrior Homes that was founded in 2014 to provide stable housing and support for homeless veterans in Collier County.
The challenge grant requires matching support from the community. When the match is raised, the $500,000 will be earmarked for renovations of the “Zulu Project,” the 10-unit apartment complex in East Naples.
“We’re incredibly thankful to the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation for this and all of the amazing support they have given us over the years,” Dale Mullin, founder and president of Warrior Homes, said. “They deeply understand both the mission and the urgent need in our community to stand behind homeless veterans.”
Are there a lot of homeless veterans in Collier?
Once completed later this year, the apartment complex will enable Warrior Homes to achieve “functional zero” homelessness among local veterans, according to Mullin.
That’s where homeless veterans who want to be housed are, along with wanting to gain stability and getting back on their feet.
Results of the countywide homeless count released earlier in May by the SWFL Regional Coalition to End Homelessness show 12 homeless veterans, down from 39 last year.
The “point in time” count done in January in greater Naples and Immokalee found 433 homeless individuals in total, a 43% decline from last year’s 756.
Done by volunteers and far from being considered scientific, the findings provide an estimate with the data submitted to the start Department of Childre and Families. It helps the coalition with securing state and federal prevention assistance for its work.
The volunteers conduct anonymous interviews with homeless individuals at homeless camps, shelters, day labor centers and elsewhere about the circumstances that led to them being on the streets.
What is the Zulu Project?
Warrior Homes purchased the 10-unit apartment complex at 4240 Gulfstream Drive in East Naples in December 2025 for $2.3 million, putting down $700,000 and financing the remainder.
Interior demolition where each unit has two bedrooms is ongoing with the goal of completing renovations later this year.
It is the seventh property that Warrior Homes owns; to date the nonprofit has housed more than 147 veterans through its six other housing sites. Veterans pay 30% of their gross income on rent.
In addition to housing solutions, the nonprofit connects veterans with support services like mental health counseling, peer support and educational opportunities that include college scholarships. In 2025, more than 12,000 services were provided to veterans in need.
What’s the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation?
Best Buy co-founder Richard M. Schulze started the foundation in 2004 with a focus on human and social services, education and health.
The foundation creates grant partnerships with organizations that generate results in human and social services, education, and health and medicine.
For more information about Warrior Homes, visit its website at wwcollier.org.
The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundations’ website is schulzefamilyfoundation.org.
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Liz Freeman is a health care reporter. Reach her by emailing lfreeman@naplesnews.com
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This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Naples veterans’ homelessness may end after financial boost
Reporting by Liz Freeman, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Naples Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Liz Freeman, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News | USA TODAY Network
