Kernersville, North Carolina
Operation Hope and Home is building transitional housing and supportive services for veterans facing homelessness — a safe place to land, and a path back to stable, independent life.
Operation Hope and Home was founded on a simple conviction: the men and women who served this country deserve a dignified place to rebuild when they fall on hard times.
We are a North Carolina nonprofit corporation creating a 10-bed transitional housing program in Kernersville. Our residents won't just get a bed — they'll get case management, peer support from those who've walked the same road, and a structured path toward permanent housing and self-sufficiency.
Stable, supervised housing that gives veterans the breathing room to recover and plan their next step.
Wrap-around services led by people who understand military life and the road back from crisis.
The goal isn't a longer stay — it's a permanent home and a self-sufficient life beyond our doors.
Every resident moves through a structured program designed to restore dignity and rebuild independence — not to warehouse people indefinitely.
A veteran arrives, gets a safe bed, and meets with a case manager to assess immediate needs — health, benefits, and goals.
Through peer support and connection to VA services, residents address the barriers that led to homelessness and build toward stability.
We help secure permanent housing and the income to keep it — then stay connected to make sure the progress holds.
Veterans, advocates, and neighbors who chose to walk alongside those who served — each bringing their own story and skill to the work of bringing veterans home.
Founder
Frank Palacios is an Army infantry combat veteran and the founder of Operation Hope and Home. He started this organization for a simple reason: too many of the men and women he served alongside came home to instability, and too few had a place to land. Operation Hope and Home is his answer — a veteran-built program that offers not just a bed, but the dignity, structure, and support that make a real path forward possible.
Realtor · Marine Corps Veteran
I am a proud U.S. Marine Corps veteran. This project is personal to me because I have experienced homelessness myself. When I was presented with the opportunity to be part of this, I knew immediately that I wanted to help. It is an honor to use my story, my service, and my heart to support something that can make a real difference.
Treasurer
I'm a retired veteran who was once homeless myself, so I understand the importance of this work from both sides. I believe there's always someone who needs a helping hand, and I'm honored to be able to offer one.
Attorney · Veterans Advocate
Charlisa M. Powell is an attorney and veterans advocate with more than 20 years of legal experience. She serves as Project Director of the Veterans Law Project at Legal Aid of North Carolina, where she leads a statewide program providing civil legal services to veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Prior to joining Legal Aid, she served as an Attorney-Advisor with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Board of Veterans' Appeals.
In addition to her professional work, Charlisa has volunteered with City With Dwellings and Our Lady of Salem Shelter for Women in Winston-Salem, NC, supporting individuals experiencing homelessness. She believes every veteran deserves the dignity, stability, and hope that come with having a safe place to call home, and is honored to help advance that mission through her legal expertise, nonprofit leadership, and commitment to serving those in need.
Social Media & Digital Engagement Volunteer
I was drawn to Operation Hope and Home because serving those who served is a cause close to my heart. Coming from a military family, I understand how much it means when organizations give back to their community, and I wanted to be part of something this meaningful and impactful.
Community Outreach
I joined Operation Hope and Home to restore dignity and stability to veterans by offering a safe home and specialized care tailored to each person's journey — bridging the gap between crisis and permanent housing, and empowering every veteran to reclaim their future through peer support and professional guidance.
Peer Support Specialist
My purpose in joining was to provide safe, stable housing to veterans while helping them regain their independence and prevent homelessness — supporting them with budgeting, employment, and mental health. I've spent the past eight years in the mental health field as a Regional Field Supervisor with an agency specializing in peer support, substance-abuse classes, and higher levels of care. I've trained and worked hands-on with individuals on obtaining housing, building budgeting and life skills, and navigating recovery — always without judgment and with empathy. Those are the strengths I bring to the team.
Our facility is designed to be funded primarily through the VA's Grant and Per Diem (GPD) program, alongside community partnership and responsible financing — a model built for long-term stability, not a one-time fix.
Kernersville, North Carolina
info@operationhopeandhome.org
NC Nonprofit Corporation · EIN 42-2943469
501(c)(3) tax-exempt status is in progress. Contributions may not yet be tax-deductible until IRS recognition is granted.
*National estimate of veterans experiencing homelessness on a given night (HUD point-in-time data); figure shown for context.