Architecture students are putting their skills to the test in the most useful way by building tiny homes for veterans.
The talented Texas students have completed their second 209-square foot home for a homeless veteran in their local community of Kingwood, Houston.
Speaking to CBS Miami Parker Ryan, a senior at the school, said: “Being able to take a veteran off the street and being able to give a home and somewhere to grow is just amazing to me.”
The students from Kingwood Park High School built the home through the Students Helping Veterans program.
“It started as a vision for the students to be able to get some real-world experience building and doing construction stuff in our architecture classes while also being able to give back to veterans in need,” Brendan Flaherty, a 2020 graduate and designer of the tiny house, told the Houston Chronicle.
The home is big enough for a bed, table, chairs and cabinets and will be donated to a veteran.
Architecture and engineering students built their first house from Marine veteran Edward Rodriguez, who suffered a stroke two years ago.
“It totally upended my life,” Edward said. “I lost my house, my job and found myself in need. I’d always been independent. A Marine. The hero. Do things by myself. And then I found myself humbled, so to speak.”
The group’s second home should have taken around 6 months to build but this one took two years because of the pandemic. The group is already starting work on its third tiny home.
“We hope to make these for years to come,” high school senior Parker Ryan added.
I love this idea and hope it inspires similar programs across the country.
To find yourself homeless because you’ve suffered a medical condition after serving your country is a situation nobody should have to endure, we should do all we can to help.
Please share if you too love this program.
