St. Johns County Supports the Veterans Village of St. Johns
The Veterans Village is a sanctuary for military veterans to regain their footing and find a safe haven.
In recognition of May as Military Appreciation Month, St. Johns County announced the financial support of the Veterans Village of St. Johns and the debut of a special video on the project produced by the Office of Public Affairs. At the January 21, 2025, St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) Regular Meeting, the BCC approved a Resolution for allocating $125,000 in funding for fiscal year 2025 to Home Again St. Johns, Inc. for operational costs for Veterans Village as well as recommending annual reoccurring funding subject to yearly appropriation and budget approval.
“Everything we like about living here in America and the right to voice our opinion about the things we don’t like – all those things are only possible because of our veterans putting themselves in harm’s way,” said County Commissioner Christian Whitehurst
Home Again St. Johns and the Veterans Council of St. Johns County joined forces to buy St. Augustine’s Old Town Inn and repurpose it into Veterans Village, supportive housing for military veterans.
“It’s been a great opportunity to give them the safety and security that they now have here at the Veterans Village,” said Bill Dudley, Chairman of Veterans Council.
Operated and managed by Home Again St. Johns, Veterans Village is a sanctuary for military veterans to regain their footing and find a safe haven. “This is a win-win not only for the community, but especially for our veteran community,” said County Commissioner Clay Murphy.
In March of 2024, Home Again St. Johns. Inc. purchased a motel on Anastasia Island called the St. Augustine’s Old Town Inn to serve as the Veterans Village. “It’s really unique and wonderful to see something that’s broken like the hotels or the apartment complexes that no one is using and it’s not anyone’s home and then we go and refurbish them and becomes someone’s home,” said County Commissioner Krista Joseph.
The 20-unit, one apartment facility provides supportive housing exclusively for military veterans, offering both transitional and permanent affordable options for residents and offers wraparound supportive services such as access to healthcare, mental health support, addiction recovery programs, and employment assistance. “When you look at what a veteran has done for us, to be honest, it seems like such a small way for us to show our appreciation,” said County Commissioner Ann Taylor.
Veterans Village serves as a sanctuary where veterans can rebuild their lives, fostering dignity, independence, personal growth, housing stabilization, and community. The $125,000 in grant funding from the County is for veteran related needs and operational needs at Veterans Village to include, but not limited to, case management, resource and referral, employment-related activities, drug and alcohol support, transportation to appointments, deposits, rental assistance, food, durable medical equipment (not covered by insurance, VA, etc.), appliances to assist the veteran such as grab bars, shower chairs, etc. (not covered by any insurance, VA, etc.) and other needs a veteran may need to start work or continue employment and remain housed.
“It was so important that we helped stand this up; they were so close to making Veterans Village a reality, and it was our privilege and honor to be able to make that come to fruition,” said County Commissioner Sarah Arnold.
May is Military Appreciation Month, a special time for those in and out of the military. It is a time designated to honor and recognize the contributions, sacrifices, and service of the members of the armed forces, past and present. Congress designated May as National Military Appreciation Month in 1999 to ensure the nation was given the chance to publicly show their appreciation for troops past and present. It serves as a reminder of the profound contributions made by service members.
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