NAPLES, Fla. — Veteran homelessness has been a long struggle across the country, including in Southwest Florida. But one Collier County nonprofit says it is close to reaching a milestone - ending veteran homelessness.
Warrior Homes of Collier, founded in 2010, has spent years working to get veterans off the streets and into stable housing.
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“The house behind me, which is Alpha House, was opened almost six years ago,” said Dale Mullin, president and CEO of Warrior Homes. “In that six years, there were no beds in Collier County for homeless veterans. And in six years we’ve opened six houses."
Mullin said the nonprofit not only provides housing but also connects veterans with mental health care, education and job training. Now, he believes Warrior Homes is on the brink of its biggest achievement yet.
“We believe that next year we’re going to achieve our goal of ending veteran homelessness in Collier County, which is amazing from where we started — a small charity that had no money,” Mullin said.
Since its founding, Warrior Homes says it has housed more than 130 veterans. One of them is Adam Stanbro, who credits the program with helping him overcome addiction and rebuild his life.
“It absolutely has been a benefit,” Stanbro said. “It gave me an environment where I didn’t have to worry about outside forces while I worked on myself and found direction.”
Stanbro has since graduated from Florida SouthWestern State College and is pursuing a degree in social work, hoping to mentor other veterans facing similar struggles.
“My life is better now than it’s ever been before, and it is mostly because of Warrior Homes,” he said.
Ahead of National Substance Use Prevention Month in October, Mullin said stories like Stanbro’s highlight the impact of recovery, housing and community support. He estimates there are now fewer than 20 homeless veterans left in Collier County — many of whom face the most complex challenges.
“And the last leg that we have here — or the last mile — is to help that veteran group that no one can help,” Mullin said. “They’re what you would call low-barrier. They just can’t get into housing — so we’re going to fix that.”
