Yolanda Caldwell's yellow three-bedroom house in California's high desert more than just a home.
It's a sanctuary for the disabled veteran and her two sons. A symbol of stability in a life punctuated by periodic homelessness. And a reminder that solving veteran homelessness requires more than just money.
"When I walked into this house, I just fell out. I thanked God. This is all I wanted ‒ a place for my boys to be safe and call home," said Caldwell, 55.
Caldwell received significant help over the years with nonprofits associated with the Home Depot Foundation, which on Oct. 20 announced it would spend $1 billion through 2032 to increase support for homeless or at-risk veterans nationwide.
Since 2011, the foundation has spent more than $650 million
on veteran-related causes, particularly housing and homelessness, and officials are increasing their commitment as the cost of living has risen dramatically.
An estimated 32,500 veterans were homeless on a single night last year, representing about 5% of the overall homeless population, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
"We as a country don't do a good job of taking care of those people,” said Erin Izen, the Home Depot Foundation’s executive director. "If you just put a person in a house, for many, they'll end up homeless again because they can't maintain that. Wraparound services are critical."
Izen, whose husband and son are both retired Marines, said veterans transitioning out of the military sometimes have challenges that make it harder for them to fit into traditional society, from the loss of structure to potential trauma and addiction.
Among the programs funded by the Home Depot Foundation is a partnership with Meals on Wheels volunteers to identify older veterans' homes that need repairs so they can remain in them longer. Another initiative provides rent and security deposit guarantees to landlords who agree to accept veterans who might not otherwise qualify.
While complete 2026 data is not yet available, there are indications veteran homelessness has dropped 8.2% since 2025, said officials with the nonprofit Community Solutions, which works with about 170 communities nationwide. That would be the largest year-over-year drop in veteran homelessness in a decade, and it is proof ongoing efforts are working, the officials said.
"This progress could not have been possible without unprecedented collaboration between federal programs, state leaders, local providers, and veteran organizations working together to get the job done," Rosanne Haggerty, the founder and CEO of Community Solutions, said in a statement.
Caldwell got help from several community-based programs before she found her home. After losing her first house during the pandemic, she and her two sons bounced from rentals to hotels, burning what little savings she had.
Caldwell said she was sexually assaulted as a child and then as a soldier in the Army National Guard, which she joined at 18. It took her years to qualify for full veteran disability benefits, including housing assistance.
She finally got an apartment with help from the Home Depot Foundation, which paid her rent for six months while she rebuilt her credit and savings. Then she began house shopping, eventually finding the little yellow house in San Bernardino County.
Set near a golf course about 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles, the house is in a community safe enough for Caldwell to trust her boys will be safe walking the streets.
Izen said success stories like Caldwell's demonstrate veteran homelessness can be reduced. She said the Home Depot Foundation is committed to quickly studying which local programs work and then replicating them nationwide.
"We've got to get in, figure out what works," she said. "No one can solve this alone."
Caldwell said she's thankful for all those who helped her, from the VA officials who reviewed her disability to the nonprofit worker who gave her a place to shower.
"My house feels like safety," she said. "Getting here has been hard. If you're doing it on your own and you don't have that circle of support, it just feels impossible."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Home Depot Foundation pledges $1 billion to fight veteran homelessness
