Celebration of 250 Years of American Veterans,

About the event

For 250 years, American veterans have answered the call of our country. They have stood watch, deployed far from home, sacrificed time with their families, and carried burdens most of us will never fully understand.

And when they come home, they deserve more than a thank-you.

They deserve a home.
They deserve dignity.
They deserve opportunity.
And they deserve a community that will not leave them behind.

That is why Serenity Veterans Village exists.

Serenity Veterans Village was born from a simple but painful realization. After returning from Iraq in 2010, our founder, Lauren Andrade, watched several soldiers she had served with become homeless within months of coming home. She couldn't forget them. And she made a promise: if she ever had the means to help veterans like them, she would.

That promise became Serenity Veterans Village.

Today, our mission is straightforward:

Provide transitional housing for veterans and create the opportunities they need to rebuild their lives.

But housing is only the beginning.

A roof keeps someone dry.

A community helps them rebuild.

At Serenity Veterans Village, we work to connect veterans with the things that make stability possible—housing, transportation, nutrition, employment and job skills, and supportive services through our nonprofit partners.

We believe a veteran shouldn't have to choose between sleeping in a vehicle and sleeping on someone's couch.

We believe a veteran shouldn't lose everything simply because they lost a job, experienced a family crisis, faced an eviction, or came home carrying wounds that aren't always visible.

And we believe homelessness should be a chapter in someone's life—not the ending.

But we are thinking bigger.

Our goal isn't to simply maintain a few houses.

We are working toward a true Veterans Village—a place where veterans can live, work, learn, heal, and regain their independence.

The organization's long-term plans envision additional housing, emergency accommodations, employment opportunities, and small businesses where residents can gain real-world work experience.

Imagine a veteran arriving with nowhere to go.

Instead of being handed a list of phone numbers, they walk through the gates of a community.

They have a safe place to sleep.

They have people who know their name.

They have opportunities to work.

They have access to resources.

They can learn new skills.

They can rebuild their confidence.

And eventually, they can become the person who reaches back and helps the next veteran.

That's the difference between simply providing shelter and building a pathway home.

Why should you sponsor?

Why Your Company Should Sponsor the Serenity Veterans Village Veterans Vision Dinner

Sponsoring the Veterans Vision Dinner on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at SPJST Lodge #25 in Ennis, Texas, is a high-impact way for your company to support a proven local solution to veteran homelessness while gaining meaningful visibility and community goodwill.

The Mission and Real Impact

Serenity Veterans Village (SVV) provides transitional housing and opportunity—not just temporary shelter—to homeless and at-risk veterans and their families in Ellis County and the greater DFW area. Residents commit to work, school, on-the-job training, or volunteering (about 20 hours per week) and sobriety while receiving housing, support for physical and mental health needs (including PTSD through partnerships), job training, transportation to VA care, nutrition, and case management.

Founded by Army veteran Lauren Andrade after she saw fellow soldiers from her Iraq deployment become homeless shortly after returning home, SVV has housed nearly 300 veterans and family members since its start. Many have graduated into independent housing after stabilizing their lives, rebuilding credit, securing employment, and preparing for permanent homes. The organization currently houses residents across multiple properties and continues expanding capacity with tiny homes, emergency cubes, and longer-term plans for a larger village development.

This is a “hand-up” model focused on dignity, accountability, and lasting change—exactly the kind of effective, community-rooted work that companies want to associate with.

Why This Event Matters

The Veterans Vision Dinner celebrates 250 years of American veterans while sharing SVV’s concrete vision: expanding transitional housing and creating opportunities so veterans can rebuild their lives with purpose and end veteran homelessness. Your sponsorship directly fuels that expansion—helping house more veterans, support job training and PTSD care partnerships, and move closer to larger-scale housing solutions.

Benefits for Your Company

• Strong brand alignment: Associate your company with patriotism, community service, and supporting those who served. This resonates with employees, customers, and partners who value veterans and local impact.
• Visible recognition: Depending on sponsorship level (Table $750, Silver $1,500, Gold $2,500, Platinum $5,000, or Diamond $10,000), you receive table seating for 8 guests, recognition in the event program, signage, website and social media mentions, and higher tiers include prominent or top recognition plus verbal acknowledgment at the event.
• Local community connection: The event is in Ennis (Ellis County), serving the broader DFW region. Sponsoring positions your company as an invested local partner.
• Networking and employee engagement: Attend the social hour and dinner, meet other community leaders and supporters, and potentially involve employees who are veterans or care about the cause.
• Talent and hiring pipeline: SVV emphasizes training and employing veterans. Sponsorship can open doors to hiring motivated veterans who have demonstrated commitment through the program.
• Measurable good: Your support helps a lean, focused nonprofit that has already delivered tangible results (hundreds housed, many graduated to independence) with limited resources.

Bottom Line

Sponsoring the Veterans Vision Dinner lets your company do more than write a check—it connects you to a mission that honors service, rebuilds lives, and strengthens the local community. In a year marking 250 years of American veterans, this is a timely and meaningful way to say “thank you” while advancing real solutions to veteran homelessness.

To reserve a table or sponsorship level, contact Lauren Andrade

More details are available at serenityveteransvillage.org.

This is a sponsorship that delivers both heart and practical value.

Lauren Andrade

Serenity Veterans Village is a nonprofit dedicated to ending veteran homelessness by providing transitional housing, opportunity, and support to homeless and at-risk veterans and their families in Ellis County and the greater DFW area.

Founded by Army veteran Lauren Andrade after witnessing fellow soldiers become homeless following deployment, we offer more than shelter. Residents receive housing, job training, education or volunteer opportunities, access to care (including PTSD support), and a pathway to independence—with the expectation of personal commitment and accountability.

Since our founding, we have housed nearly 300 veterans and family members. Our mission is simple: Housing. Hope. Opportunity. Together, we are building a community of hope for those who served.

Contact the Organizer Contact the Organizer