← Back to Blogs

Guest Blogger Heidi Slack Youngren Construction, Marketing Manager

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Have you or someone close to you encountered the struggles of recovering from life-altering injuries due to military service?

If so, you should know about the Veteran Retreat Center (VRC) under construction in Mt. Baldy, CA. This pioneering initiative in California is led by the nonprofit organization The Heroes Project, which is dedicated to aiding severely injured veterans on their journey to healing.

The Mission: Healing Injured Veterans

The Heroes Project aims to redefine the personal limits of injured veterans by organizing extreme outdoor expeditions and offering community support. Since 2009, the organization has been delivering life-changing outdoor adventures and physical challenges to aid in the veterans' physical and mental recovery.

To climb a mountain, whether literally or metaphorically, requires preparation, determination, and a positive mindset. The program is structured to offer encouragement, foster teamwork, enhance confidence, and uplift morale through daily training, high-altitude weekend trips, healthy lifestyle practices, and an immersive experience of the great outdoors.

The Heroes Project’s main training ground in Mt. Baldy is also the site of their yearly Climb for Heroes event. “Mt. Baldy and the Baldy community have always delivered on everything needed to pull these vets out of their dark places,” says THP Staff.

That’s one of the many reasons why Mt. Baldy is the perfect location for the VRC.

The Heroes Project team has a bigger vision!

They aim for expanded space, increased participants, additional resources, and more lives positively impacted. Their solution involves building a Veteran Retreat Center, converting their current training grounds into a comprehensive mountain retreat for individuals from all over the country to engage in their programs.

The Veteran Retreat Center: Healing & Transformation

As California's inaugural Veteran Retreat Center, every aspect has been crafted for veterans to detach from the daily pressures of life and rediscover the soldier/marine within. The VRC will be entirely off the grid, with no cell phone service or Wi-Fi, offering veterans a chance to commune with nature and themselves.

The VRC will serve as the platform for The Heroes Project to implement their "Expedition for Heroes Program." This initiative involves guiding injured military heroes through therapeutic, demanding, and transformative outdoor adventures. Each participant is matched with a mountain tailored to challenge them both physically and mentally. The mental readiness and physical journey of overcoming their personal summits are integral to their growth.

Previously, this program exclusively catered to Veterans in Southern California. With the opening of the VRC, the program can now extend its reach to veterans across the country by providing temporary housing and outdoor experiences.

Youngren Construction takes immense pride in serving as the General Contractor for bringing this Center to life. Additionally, we are honored to partner with Homes For Our Troops, having built 39 Specially Adapted Homes to date, with more projects underway. Since 2010, Scott Youngren and the entire Youngren Construction team have been deeply committed to supporting veterans through our work with Homes For Our Troops. It is a privilege to give back to those who have selflessly served our nation. In recognition of these efforts, we were humbled to receive the Meritorious Support of Veterans Award in 2019 for our dedication to constructing specially adapted homes for veterans.

The Plan: Accessibility for All

This complex of cabins and recreational buildings will be built on United States Forest Service property in Icehouse Canyon, two miles from the Mt.Baldy Village. The VRC will include three cabins, tent camping spaces, and a welcoming and programming center for group meetings.

The mountain setting of the VRC can be a challenge to those with mobility issues, which The Heroes Project and Youngren Construction team are fully planning and preparing for.

The entire VRC will be fully ADA compliant, with all facilities equipped to accommodate a range of traumatic injuries, both seen and unseen. These include limb loss, traumatic brain injury, and post-traumatic stress. As a contractor with Homes For Our Troops, Youngren Construction has built dozens of specially adapted custom homes for severely injured Veterans. This unique experience means our team is well-equipped to ensure accessibility to veterans with a range of severe injuries. 

“Getting around The VRC safely will never be an issue for these Veterans,” says Scott Youngren, founder and President of Youngren Construction. “Our work with severely injured Veterans for over 14 years means we have a realistic sense of the challenges and needs these folks face in their day-to-day lives. We know how to build special accommodations into every room of every building so they feel comfortable and safe.”

The security and safety provided at the VRC ensure that veterans can fully engage in the transformative programs and events offered.

We extend heartfelt gratitude to the donors, volunteers, and supporters of The Heroes Project for making this possible.

With the steadfast support of The Heroes Project, even more injured veterans will gain access to critical resources, empowering them to overcome challenges through physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional therapeutic training.

Check out this amazing article on Forbes, highlighting The Heroes Project Veteran Retreat Center. Penned by Forbes contributor and Wellness Coach Jamie Gold, this article highlights the incredible, unique features of the Veteran Retreat Center (VRC) and the benefits it will bring to Veterans who stay there.

Thank you to Forbes for increasing awareness of this amazing project. Youngren Construction is proud to be such an integral part of bringing this Veteran Retreat Center to life.

Stay tuned for more updates on this project!