ALTAVISTA, Va. (WDBJ) – A mission to heal and restore veterans is growing in Altavista.
The National Center for Healthy Veterans has been expanding its reach, providing more homes and support for those who served our country.
Today, 12 new homes stand nearly finished, just weeks from welcoming the veterans who will soon call them home.
“After we get these houses finished, then our volunteers and our staff will help turn those houses into homes for veterans. It’ll be a wonderful place for a veteran to live here while he heals and goes through the program, and then go out and do great things for America,” said Robert F Dees, President, National Center for Healthy Veterans.
At Valor Farm, healing goes beyond a roof over their heads. The National Center for Healthy Veterans provides counseling, equine therapy, and meaningful work to help veterans overcome trauma and find purpose again.
“We help them gain emotional regulation, they live in community to defeat isolation, which is one of the real enemies for mental and behavioral health—and we give them dignified work,“ said Dees.
Since opening in 2019, this faith-based organization has been a refuge for veterans. Now, with Village 2 nearing completion, even more service members will have a place to rebuild their lives. And the expansion isn’t stopping. Village 3 is already underway, adding 13 more homes by this summer.
“Village Three has 13 more homes. We expect these will be finished later in the year, probably summer. So we’re excited again to make more homes available for the veterans we serve,” said Dees.
But it’s not just housing. A new visitor center will soon be the heart of the community, featuring a fitness center, an industrial kitchen, and space for group gatherings and classes.
“Ideally, we want them to achieve their full, God-given potential—and we want them to go out as business owners, entrepreneurs, tradespeople, whatever role they find, and contribute and give back to America. They have a heart for service, and now we want them once they’re healthy, to go back and serve some more,” said Dees.
Valor Farm’s impact is reaching far beyond Altavista. Their model has inspired new centers, including Bluegrass Veterans Farm in Kentucky, with more inquiries coming in from across Virginia.
Many of you may remember the barn fire at Valor Farm late last year. They hope to have that rebuilt by Veteran’s Day and tell us they have a design, but haven’t yet started construction.
Visit healthyveterans.org/ to refer someone to the program.
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