Today we’d like to introduce you to Monica Alvarez.
Hi Monica, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Alvarez House started as a monthly park event, supporting our local homeless Veteran community. The last Monday of every month we would show up in Park Ave Park located in Salisbury off E Innis Street with spaghetti, BBQ, whatever food was donated, clothing, shoes, backpacks with toiletries, non-perishable food, beanies, mittens, sleeping bags etc, a massage therapist (Donna Ridenhour) a beautician (Heather King) and spend the day showing them love and letting them know we see them. The one single, most powerful statement that kept reoccurring was “we feel invisible “. That was the most heartbreaking thing I’ve ever had to hear. It soon became everyone’s goal to erase that from their vocabulary. This event started gaining traction, soon the Director Joseph Vaughn started showing up along with Veteran Service officer Justan Mounts. One particular event a veteran showed up literally crawling. As it turned out he had been in an accident, turned away from the VA emergency room as well as Novant Hospital in Salisbury, to my surprise the VA director and VSO loaded this man in their vehicle and drove him to the hospital themselves. Later found out he suffered with broken ribs and a fractured spine, he couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t walk and these two VA representatives, showed more compassion in one afternoon than I’d seen in my lifetime, combined, I learned the importance of having veteran services at every event since those early days, I’ll never host another event without them. Our events have snowballed since then, we’ve actually become mobile. A girlfriend called us a mobile response service, which I truly believe, since we’ve been invited to host our event all over NC. We’ve been invited to Winston-Salem. Greensboro, Roanoke Rapids all the way to south of Lumberton. We ended up in a little town called Rowland NC I want to say purely by accident but being the faith based woman that I am, it was all God. I had been looking for property around NC to open a tiny home village, I found 128 acres in that little town, I emailed the realtor, with no response in August 2022 I think it was. I never heard from the realtor, kinda put it on the back burner until October I was feeling the weight of what I carry, as you can imagine feeling responsible for all these veterans needing a home can sometimes get very heavy. I decided one Friday afternoon I needed to go to the beach and pray. I think my strongest prayers happen by the ocean. I can help but feel, standing by the ocean puts life into perspective. Everything i carry is so heavy, the ocean being so vast makes my problems seem so small.
So off I went, my house is right off Hwy 52 in Granite Quarry NC, its literally a straight shot to Myrtle Beach but 30 minutes into my drive GPS starts rerouting me, six times as a matter a fact. Just before dark I drove into this little town when roughly 10 lil Ole men were have their own car show. Being the daughter of a veteran who’s passion was to restore these old classics, I had to stop and look, literally in the middle of the street. This town was so small, I saw no signs of where I was at, until the local policeman pulled up in front of me, where I saw the decal on his vehicle. I had been rerouted six time, landing myself in the heart of Rowland NC. The same place I had found 128 acres, two months prior. Im stealing asking God, “did you reroute me here, are you in control of GPS too?” Lird, “am I suppose to be here, is this where you want me?” I decided to continue on my way, intending to return the following day, after my prayers. I continue and GPS tells me in 1000 feet turn right, after making that right turn, I see Gerald Rd the very same road that 128 acres was located. I knew then Hod expected me to return to this little town. The next day I returned, spoke to the police chief, told him what had happened to bring me through his town as well as my vision for a tiny home village. Within 2 days I received a call from the mayor inviting me back to his town, where we fed 798 veterans and their families, 398 plates of BBQ else in partnership with 2nd harvest food bank we sent groceries home with 400 veteran families from Robeson and Scott land counties. Greatest day of my life. From that event I gained traction. I’d always questioned, “What can one man do?” Well now I know. We’ve continued to help our homeless Veteran community all across the state of NC. If you’ll look at my website each video is from a different towns somewhere in NC
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Alvarez House proposes to build a 50-unit tiny home community providing permanent, supportive housing for homeless veterans who have successfully completed drug and alcohol rehabilitation. This 24-month program offers more than just housing—it is a comprehensive hand-up approach focused on employment, financial independence, mental healing, and community rebuilding, fostering dignity and self-sufficiency.
Program DescriptionTarget residents:
Homeless veterans who have graduated from substance use rehab programs, committed to rebuilding their lives.
Housing model:
50 tiny homes (~240 sq. ft. each), fully furnished, with private living space.
Program duration:
24 months per veteran, providing time to stabilize, establish jobs, rebuild credit, and develop life skills.
Key Program Components Employment and Financial Independence:
Job placement assistance, credit rebuilding workshops, personal money management training.Combat Recovery, Reboot combat recovery course designed to address PTSD, trauma, and reintegration challenges.
On-site Dog Training Facility:
Veterans train service dogs to re-learn trust and love, and to provide companionship to housebound veterans needing support.
Veterans Feeding America Chapter and Microgreen Farm:
A Social Enterprise component producing microgreens for sale, generating revenue to sustain Alvarez House and provide vocational training and community engagement.
Community Integration:
Veterans participate in governance of the village, support peers, and build networks for long-term success.
Budget Overview (Estimated)
Category. Cost
Tiny homes (construction) $15,000
Land acquisition and site prep. 2000
Infrastructure
(utilities, roads, common areas) 4000
Furnishings and appliances. 3000
Program staff salaries (2 years)* N/A
Support services
(workshops, courses. N/A
Microgreen farm setup. N/A
Contingency and admin. 10%
Total Estimated Budget. $2,355,000
*Includes case managers, program coordinators, job trainers, dog trainers, and administrative staff.
Funding Strategy, Alvarez House will seek federal grants (VA, HUD), private foundations, and corporate donors to support construction costs and programming. The microgreen farm will contribute ongoing funds towards operational sustainability.
Provide stable housing to 50 veterans annually, with an expected 85% transition rate to permanent housing post-program. Break cycle of homelessness, addiction relapse, and unemployment. Promote mental health recovery and community support. Train and provide service dogs to veterans in need. Build a replicable model of veteran empowerment and community care. This proposal builds on successful models like Veterans Community Project and integrates innovative programming to maximize veteran independence and community impact, aligning with the mission to offer a hand up—not a handout. If more detailed customization or financial breakdowns are needed, I can provide those as well.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Our biggest struggles are funding. Grants aren’t an easy thing to obtain. Teresa Martin worked on grant writing for 3 years with zero response. Every dime we have was raised one at a time. Its people like Sky Metro, Dan Newell, Mark Russell, Seven Lakes Golf Club, Rufty Homes senior center golf club who believe in my mission and support me 100%
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I think i answered most of those questions in my last question but I’ll add I’m most proud of my ability to bring people together to help the least of these. Not only feeding almost 800 people in one afternoon but also helping to house 27 homeless veterans. I don’t do it for them, I offer a hand up, not a hand out. when they locate permanent housing, I rally the community to help them move, donate household items, furniture, whatever they need to get a good foot hold
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
n/a not necessarily non-applicable, its just i don’t really have time to watch, listen, I’m boots on the ground everyday
my favorite book i wrote it, an autobiography about how I ended up where im at today
“Betrayed for 30 pieces of silver “
and Tersa Martin sitting with a soldier
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Alvarezhouse0600.com
- Facebook: Alvarez House 0600
