Veterans Build continues to be one of Habitat SKKC’s most meaningful and impactful traditions of giving back to our community. This year’s Veterans Build welcomed 158 total volunteers across King and Kittitas Counties who helped donated over 1,080 hours and raised $57,000 to support affordable homeownership.
Sponsor groups from GenCap to Prime Electric joined us onsite at our Yarrow Cottages (Seattle), Miller’s Creek (Burien), and Stuart Meadows (Ellensburg) neighborhoods. Day one in King County kicked off with 10 volunteers from Chase Bank. Colleagues from across the region joined us at Yarrow Cottages for interior work on our nearly completed neighborhood: painting, flooring, and installing hardware for cabinets.
Volunteer Kelli M. appreciated that the opportunity allowed her to build community while volunteering, saying, “It’s a different level of connection with my colleagues, all while serving a good cause.”
Her colleague, Kris K., first volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in high school and then again while serving in the Navy. He remembers former president Jimmy Carter, also a Navy veteran, volunteering with servicemembers on Habitat build sites across the country. The memory of President Carter’s service inspired him to come out to our build site and give back.
We also welcomed the Seattle Seahawks for their annual Salute to Service Month and the United Indians of All Tribes Foundation for volunteer days. The latter, a nonprofit housed at the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center that serves as a hub for urban Indians, hosts a Native Veterans Program. The program connects native veterans to social services, cultural events, and traditional healing practices. Volunteers with the organization participated in an effort to build community and meet their mission of service.
Ariel E., who served 15 years of active duty in the U.S. Army, found out about Veterans Build at a recent Powwow. Inspired by the housing crisis our city currently faces, Ariel signed up to volunteer with the United Indians of All Tribes Foundation. He explains why he thinks it’s important for people to get involved in community service: “A lot of veterans feel weird when people thank us for our service. Although I appreciate it, I don’t necessarily want to hear ‘thank you.’ The whole point of why society exists is for each other, so show that service. There needs to be more of that energy in action, not in words.”
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The annual affinity build also raises awareness about the housing insecurity that many veterans face when they return from deployment. According to Habitat for Humanity International, nearly 1.5 million veterans pay at least 50% of their monthly income on housing. This financial strain makes covering the basics of daily life harder. It also puts building wealth, and the long-term stability it provides, completely out of reach for many people in our community.
A big reason Habitat SKKC hosts Veterans Build is to educate veterans about our work and let them know that Habitat homes are available to them. We are dedicated to increasing the number of veterans in our Habitat for Heroes program, which lowers the barriers to homeownership for income-qualified buyers in our service region. This includes:
- Lower home prices, typically between the high $100Ks-mid $400Ks.
- A 1% down payment (typically $4K-$6K) with no mortgage insurance
- Below market interest rates
- Veteran-specific down payment assistance
- Mortgage payments are capped at no more than 35% of household income to ensure affordability
- Qualified veterans get priority in our selection process
- Our team offers one-on-one support for any interested veterans. Staff can answer questions and offer personalized advice based on the veteran’s situation and goals
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One of our recent veteran homeowners, Jay, joined the military in 2009 and trained in avionics. He was severely injured during a training exercise in 2012, which meant he could never deploy again. While the injury disrupted his military career, it put him on a new course and helped him find purpose. He began traveling to naval bases to share his story and help train medical teams on the realities of life after severe injury.
Following his service, Jay spent years moving to and from temporary housing before following his son to Ellensburg. There he met Shilo and her daughter, Alea. They moved into their Habitat home in the summer of 2025. They also grew their family this year when Jay and Shilo welcomed a baby girl.
Jay reflects on what moving into his Habitat home means for his family: “Gaining small freedoms and room for our family. We don’t need much. This [home] is a huge goal, and I feel great!”
Veterans like Jay made a lot of sacrifices to serve our country, and Veterans Build is one way we can actively thank them for their service.