A Milestone for Veterans in Western North Carolina

The facility provides short-term housing for homeless veterans as they transition to permanent housing.

Western North Carolina VA Health Care System Medical Center Director Stephanie Young attended the ceremony on behalf of the VA.

"Today marks an exciting milestone for our community and for the veterans we serve," Young said.

The original VRQ was damaged during Hurricane Helene, which caused widespread destruction across Western North Carolina in the fall of 2024. The rebuilt facility will be a state-of-the-art building purpose-built by ABCCM to meet the needs of homeless and at-risk veterans, Young said.

ABCCM administers the VRQ and has partnered with the VA for more than two decades. Since 2003, the organization has received funding through the VA's Grant and Per Diem program, supporting a joint effort between the two organizations to end veteran homelessness in Western North Carolina.

Under the partnership, ABCCM provides housing, facilities and on-the-ground support for veterans. The Western North Carolina VA Health Care System, through its Homeless Veteran Program, provides health care, case management and coordination to connect veterans with permanent housing and other services.

Young said the rebuilt facility's location near the Asheville VA Medical Center will give residents direct access to medical, mental health and support services.

"When care is close, coordination improves, and when coordination improves, so do outcomes," Young said.

Young thanked ABCCM for its decades of service to veterans experiencing homelessness and said she looks forward to continuing the partnership.

Veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness can reach the VA's National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-4AID-VET ), available 24/7, to be connected with local resources, including ABCCM and other community partners.