2 Veterans Villages under construction in South Jersey aim to help homeless vets

Veterans Day 2 Veterans Villages under construction in South Jersey aim to help homeless vets The Tunnel to Towers Foundation is building two Veterans Villages in South Jersey, offering housing and support services to veterans facing homelessness. By Ted Greenberg • Published 45 seconds ago • Updated 32 seconds ago A major effort to help veterans facing homelessness is taking shape in South Jersey , where the Tunnel to Towers Foundation is building new housing developments that will offer more than just a place to live. The foundation is constructing New Jersey's first Veterans Village along Route 9 in the Bayville section of Berkeley Township, Ocean County, which has the state's largest population of veterans. Stream Philadelphia News for free, 24/7, wherever you are with NBC10. WATCH HERE The development will feature 98 single-occupancy apartments, along with two dozen fully furnished tiny houses known as "Comfort Homes," designed for older veterans. Tunnel to Towers Foundation Tunnel to Towers Foundation The Veterans Village will also provide support services to help veterans facing challenges beyond housing. “We're going to have wraparound services for our veterans to include substance abuse counseling, mental health services, employment specialists,” said Cara Giresi of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. The Comfort Homes are currently being stored on a vacant lot a few miles from the Veterans Village site. Local Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood. First Alert Weather 6 hours ago Rain returns and cooler temperatures follow end of week Chester 1 hour ago Chester faces possible bankruptcy with $45.7 million in funding needs for 2027 The Bayville development is expected to open in the spring, weather permitting. Meanwhile, the foundation recently broke ground on New Jersey's second Veterans Village in Atlantic County's Northfield. That development will provide more than 100 additional housing units, though it's likely still a couple of years away from opening. For veterans like Dennis Haemmerle, who served in the U.S. Army, the developments are welcome news. “I think that's a great thing. Hopefully that'll help get some of them what they need, because we can offer it,” Haemmerle said. The need for assistance was also on the minds of veterans gathering for a solemn Veterans Day ceremony in Ocean County's Lacey Township. For Marine Corps Vietnam veteran Bernie Snyder, honoring those who served helps him cope with the trauma of war. But he also worries about fellow veterans struggling with homelessness and other challenges. “It is hard. You know, a lot of them turn to suicide. And it's the wrong thing to do. The right thing is to step out and ask for help,” Snyder said. Snyder knows some veterans are reluctant to accept assistance, but he believes they shouldn't see it as a handout. “Veterans got to remember that they served and they earned,” Snyder said. That's the message behind the Tunnel to Towers Foundation's effort to create a lasting home for veterans in need. “Our hope is that our veterans come here, call this place home and live here for as long as they need us,” Giresi said. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication. This article tagged under: Veterans Day