Local nonprofit Warrior Homes of Collier has received a substantial grant for its latest housing project for homeless veterans.
The Schoen Foundation awarded $300,000 to the nonprofit which will be used to pay down the mortgage of a 10-unit apartment complex, called the “Zulu Project.”
The apartment complex is located at 4240 Gulfstream Drive in East Naples.
It is the largest one-time grant ever awarded to Warrior Homes.
“We are extremely grateful to The Schoen Foundation for its incredible donation,” Dale Mullin, founder and president of Warriors Homes, said in a news release. “We appreciate the tremendous support of organizations in the community that are committed to helping us reach our goal of ending veteran homelessness in Collier County.”
The Schoen Foundation was founded in 1993 by William J. and Sharon Schoen in Naples.
William “Bill” Schoen was founder, chief executive officer and board chairman of Health Management Associates Inc., headquartered in Naples.
The Schoen Foundation is dedicated to supporting veteran causes, ending homelessness and hunger, as well as promoting education and Christian organizations. Schoen was a Korean War veteran.
Schoen stepped down as president and CEO in 2001 but continued as chairman until retiring from HMA in 2013. He died in 2023.
Franklin, Tennessee-based Community Health Systems acquired HMA in 2014, which operates Physicians Regional Healthcare System in Collier.
Didn’t Warrior Homes get another big donation?
The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, established by Best Buy founder Dick Schulze who lives in Naples and Minnesota, pledged a $250,000 challenge grant to Warrior Homes in June.
At the time, it was largest grant award to Warrior Homes.
The challenge grant is earmarked to help cover renovation costs of the 10-unit apartment complex and requires matching support of $250,000 from the community.
The Schoen gift cannot be used to meet the challenge match because it is earmarked for the different purpose of paying down the property’s mortgage, Mullin said.
Warrior Homes acquired the 10-unit apartment last year and it is now being renovated. Once completed, it can house 20 veterans who previously were homeless.
Warrior Homes anticipates homelessness among veterans will become functionally zero once the apartments can be occupied. That means any homeless veteran wanting housing will be housed.
The nonprofit operates six Naples residences for local veterans: Alpha House, a short-term, transitional home for those in recovery from substance-use issues; Delta House, a supportive housing complex with 10 apartments for up to 20 veterans; as well as Bravo, Charlie, Echo and Foxtrot Houses, which provide long-term supportive housing for veterans.
Residents pay rent on a sliding scale, but never more than 30% of their income.
The nonprofit also connects veterans to support services like mental health counseling and peer support, as well as educational opportunities that offer college scholarships.
It does not receive government funding and instead relies on community support and private sector contributions.
To learn more about Warrior Homes of Collier and how to support its mission, visit WWCollier.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: Warrior Homes awarded $300,000 for veteran housing in Naples area
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
