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Veterans United makes substantial donation

Veterans United Home Loans

Veterans United Home Loans announced Thursday a $1 million dollar donation to the organization Welcome Home for the housing of Columbia's homeless veterans. The donation was made by the corporation on behalf of the employees. The former Deluxe Inn on Business Loop 70 East will be renovated into a campus with 25 on-site apartments known as Patriot Place.

Veterans United President of Strategic Operations Greg Steinhoff presented the check and says the donation is huge for supporting veterans.

"To be able to make an impact in Columbia, it's significant to them, to all of us really and we take great delight in the results that will be realized for years and years through this Welcome Home project," said Steinhoff.

Welcome Home collaborated with Columbia Housing Authority and Truman Veterans' Hospital for the project. The president of the Board of Directors for Welcome Home Ross Bridges says all three groups play an important role in the project.

"But at Welcome Home obviously… for a lot of them we are the first stop," says Bridges. "Actually homeless veterans come in through our program. We're the first step in the process of going back rejoining society and self-sustaining individuals in the community."

According to their press release, Welcome Home says the complex will be the first of its kind in mid-Missouri focusing solely on veterans.

The new campus will have 25 one-bedroom apartments and 29 temporary shelter beds along with a fitness center, computer lab and commercial kitchen. The project is set to break ground in February 2016.