KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — A community of once-homeless veterans is blossoming thanks to the two rows of raised garden beds in the back of a house along the Kalamazoo River.
“I don’t call it brotherhood, sisterhood, I call it familyhood because that’s what we need. We need to stick together and help each other,” said Juan Gonzalez, the veteran navigator for Integrated Services of Kalamazoo.
Gonzalez is an Air Force veteran himself with 27 years of service. He knows that the transition from the military to civilian life can be a difficult one, a journey that can sometimes be upended by mental health or substance abuse. The Keystone Veteran Transitional House in Kalamazoo serves as that net to help get veterans back on track.
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Opened in 2020, the house provides shelter to referred homeless veterans. One of the programs at the house is a therapy garden which took root in October 2021 with the support of the Portage Lowe’s location. Gonzalez said the garden not only gives resident veterans a way to stay active but also illustrate the transition.