Kirby Atwell has channeled his passion for rehabbing old homes into providing "new" ones for other veterans. Atwell recently launched his company Green Vet Homes. Atwell is a graduate of West Point Academy, and left active duty Army in 2011. “I got home from the Army on a Tuesday and was out the door on Wednesday morning, looking for houses to buy and rehab,” he said. After securing a handful of rentals and flips of his own, Atwell partnered with longtime friends, John and Janelle Swiercinsky in 2011 to form iCandy Homes, LLC, a local real-estate investment company. Though the company has earned much success in flipping over 70 properties throughout the Chicagoland area, Atwell felt inclined to focus on veteran aid while also broadening his real estate portfolio to include wholesales and rentals. “I learned so much from my experiences at iCandy Homes, but I felt a pull to fully focus on a ‘do-good’ mission," he said. "I’m still able to work with iCandy, but now also able to put my efforts toward other opportunities. Veteran aid is something I’m truly passionate about."
Green Vet Homes is two-fold in its purpose. The company saves and refurbishes as much as possible while rehabbing properties, creating as little waste as possible. When a home is in need of new fixtures, sustainable products—such as bamboo flooring and energy efficient windows—are prioritized. Additionally, GVH aims to serve local veterans through providing housing for those who served in the military, as well as donating a portion of profits to veterans and their families. Though the company is less than a month old, the first official GVH property was already rented to a veteran earlier this month. Atwell contacted the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program in mid-June to learn more about the need for veteran housing, and how he could utilize their network in order to provide homes for those in need.
“In my mind, there is no greater honor than helping Veterans start again," said HUD-VASH Housing Specialist Jessica Wilkie. "There is a dire need for affordable housing and our program endeavors to creatively implement ways to address these challenges.” “I’m excited to continue working closely with the HUD-VASH Program; their program is incredible, and it’s motivating for me to be able to provide quality homes for these deserving men and women," Atwell said. "I’ve always been driven to do something unconventional in terms of my career path, but having so much meaning behind your work is the ultimate motivation. Knowing that we’re going to be as green as possible while restoring homes, and knowing that we’re housing heroes in need—you can’t put a value on that.” Read More