Successful program to transition veterans from homelessness supported by gift of time, resources

This piece is sponsored by Holmes Murphy.

Some area veterans will be spending their first holiday season in years in a home of their own, thanks to their successful transition through tiny homes at the Veterans Community Project.

Now fully built out with 25 homes, VCP is entering the final stages of finishing the last 10 of those inside and focusing on the wraparound programming that helps position its temporary veteran residents for success moving from homelessness to permanent housing.

The mission captured the attention of Holmes Murphy’s Sioux Falls office earlier this year, which voted to make VCP the recipient of its Community Footprints Program for 2025.

“We’re made aware of dozens of opportunities to give back throughout the year, and a committee reviews them and brings forward several to our team for a vote to determine our Community Footprints recipients,” said Doug Muth, senior vice president and Sioux Falls market leader at Holmes Murphy.

“When we learned about the work VCP is doing, it was hard not to get behind the cause. If we can help in any way, what better way to do it than through these tiny homes?”

In July, a team of volunteers from Holmes Murphy spent a day painting several of the homes.

“We had such a strong turnout, despite a very hot day,” said Jodi Heiser, a member of the committee that supports the firm’s philanthropy.

“It was an amazing event for us with huge participation. It’s clear why our team voted overwhelmingly to support VCP this year.”

The event coincided with Holmes Murphy’s in-house Independence Day celebration, an annual opportunity to celebrate being a privately held company.

“We’re fiercely independent, so we celebrate that every year and do a volunteer event around it to give back,” Muth said.

As the Community Footprints recipient, VCP also received a contribution of $100 per Sioux Falls Holmes Murphy team member.

“We are incredibly grateful for partners like Holmes Murphy and for every individual and organization that chooses to stand with our veterans,” said Kaelyn Giefer, director of development for Veterans Community Project.

“It truly takes a community to ensure that no veteran is left behind, and Sioux Falls is the best community.”

Volunteers are essential to the organization’s mission, she added.

“Not a single one of our 25 homes would be standing without our volunteers. From framing the houses to installing siding, painting interiors and exteriors, and so much more, our volunteers have played a hands-on role in making this community possible,” she said. “It truly takes a village.”

At Holmes Murphy, the connection to the mission is personal.

“Many of us, myself included, grew up with military service in our families, and one of our shareholders, vice president TJ Rolfing, lost his brother Robb in service to our country,” Muth said. “We also have team members who serve or have served in the military, so we easily got behind this cause.”

Many organizations find similar motivations to support the project, Giefer said.

“If you are a veteran, there is a natural desire to help those you served alongside. If you are not a veteran, there is a strong sense of gratitude and responsibility to give back to those who sacrificed so much for us,” she said. “Our veterans put their lives on the line to protect our home, so we should never accept a reality where they are left without one.”

At Holmes Murphy, giving back to the community is a consistent priority. In addition to its annual Community Footprints Program, the firm regularly supports community initiatives through Sioux Empire United Way, where the goal is 100 percent participation, matching donations for staff contributions to nonprofits up to $250 and company-paid volunteer opportunities for team members.

“Holmes Murphy is very supportive of giving, broadly, including of our time,” Heiser said. “We have several in our office who volunteer regularly, including some who have connected with Veterans Community Project beyond what we did as a workplace.”

As VCP enters its final stages of construction, with all 25 homes standing, 10 still need interior completion.

“We are absolutely looking for volunteers to help us wrap up construction over the next few months,” Giefer said. “After that, volunteer needs will shift, but they will never go away. From mowing grass and cleaning or refurnishing homes when veterans transition, to assisting with events and more, volunteers will always be essential to our work.”

If you or your organization are interested in getting involved, please email Amy Young at [email protected].

If you’d like to learn about Holmes Murphy or the company’s giving efforts, click here.