Tiny Homes to Serve Big Purpose in Kansas City

Farmers Insurance® has made another major commitment in support of America’s veterans by becoming one of the first of 15 corporate sponsors of the Veterans Community Project. Through contributions like the donation given by Farmers®, the Veterans Community Project is creating Veterans Village, a specialized community of tiny homes and onsite services that will provide housing stability and treat the underlying causes of veteran homelessness.

Farmers is helping fund the first of 50 homes planned for Veterans Village. Through a partnership with the Olathe High School Construction Trades Program, students will have the opportunity to build the tiny home as part of their 2017 curriculum, further amplifying the impact of these efforts.

The combination of housing stability and onsite services should lead to more successful permanent housing outcomes. Once ready, a veteran living in the community will transition to other existing programs. Veterans Village will provide veterans with a sense of community support as they transition back into society.

At the heart of Veterans Community Project is a belief in community. Through the power of community, Veterans Community Project will provide veterans the tools necessary to achieve a stable and prosperous civilian life. Housing and services are provided at no cost to the veteran, therefore the success of Veterans Community project is contingent on the generosity of the community.

**TINY HOMES, HUGE IMPACT**

Each home in Veterans Village will be used as transitional housing for homeless veterans. In contrast to traditional homeless services, a tiny-home provides the veteran with privacy, a sense of security, and the ability to reintegrate at a comfortable pace. Veteran services are facilitated through an onsite community center that provides the veterans with mentoring, case management, and counseling. Veterans will be connected to other programs and services.

Each veteran will have the opportunity to customize many of the items in the home. The Veterans Community Project believes this increases an individual’s sense of pride and ownership. When a veteran is ready to transition out of Veterans Village they will be permitted to take everything from inside the home with them.

“Farmers has a proud tradition of working with veterans to assist their transition from active duty responsibilities to the civilian workforce,” said Amy Putzer, property salvage manager for Farmers Insurance. “As one of the nation’s largest insurer groups, Farmers helps insure homes, cars, and lives; meanwhile the military insures our way of life. Our contribution to the Veterans Community Project is another way Farmers can give back to members of the military who have given to our country.”

**SUPPORTING VETERANS SINCE THE BEGINNING**

Farmers Insurance was founded by two World War I veterans in 1928 and veterans continue to be a focal point for the company. Farmers has also collaborated with Team Rubicon, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to uniting teams of veterans and first responders to aid in already robust catastrophe response efforts. In 2014, Farmers signed a statement of support with the Department of Defense office of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), committing to seek ways to increase opportunities for guardsmen, reservists, and veterans. Farmers also has an active veteran employee resource group, which helps provide important networking and career development opportunities for its employees.

Most recently, Farmers Insurance collected more than 70,000 pieces of business attire as part of its national Suits for Soldiers campaign in 2016 to help active duty military personnel who have served our country while they transition to the civilian workforce. In May 2017, Farmers was recognized as a Most Valuable Employer for Military™ by RecruitMilitary for the company’s outstanding support and recognition of their veteran employees and the military community.