Welcome
Tender Love & Care Farm
Veterans Outreach and Farm
What We Do
Tender Love & Care Home for The Homeless, Inc. is a 501(c3) non-profit charitable organization founded in 1991 by Retired Sergeant First Class Jean Keel. She started this as a grass-roots community advocacy effort in response to the increasing issue of underserved homeless veterans in the Georgia and the Alabama region.
Therapeutic Farming
A place for healing for our homeless veterans who are wounded or suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Veterans Assistance
The primary goal of our outreach program is to help veterans to take advantage of available opportunities and assistance.
Transitional Housing
Tender Love & Care Farm has provided transitional housing for homeless veterans in Columbus Georgia for over eight years.
Jean Keel Story
Dr Jean Keel enlisted in the Army as a WAC Women’s Army Corps Enlistee during the Vietnam Era. She has over 20 years military service as Sergeant First Class. Her experience includes Vietnam War Emergency Room Supervisor at Martin Army Community Hospital at Fort Benning Georgia.
She was one of the first African American Drill Sergeants. In 2019, she earned a degree in Psychology at the University.
In 2015 she founded Tender Love & Care Outreach, Inc 501 (c3) non-profit organization serving homeless veterans in Phenix City, Alabama. The organization’s focus is to assist homeless veterans to file claims with the Veterans Administration.
Dr Jean Keel is a recognized as an Entrepreneur, Business Manager, and Spiritual Leader. As an entrepreneur she spent thousands of dollars of her own resources to purchase five and half acres of land to build a therapeutic facility for female Veterans.
Rev Dr. Keel has partnered with the United States Department of Agriculture with the focus on conservation and healing. She has recognized Vietnam veterans, widows and orphans in Columbus, Georgia; Fort Benning, Georgia; and Phenix City, Alabama. She has provided permanent housing and sustainability for homeless male and female veterans. The purpose is to provide a place for healing wounded veterans with moral injury, PTSD, military sexual trauma.
Over the years she has developed a model and strategy for veterans to transition from homeless to a marketplace and holistic environment, healing farm.
To achieve her organization’s mission, Dr Keel would like to partner with other organizations to help veterans. In 2016 she was assigned Pastor of White Chapel CME Church, Wadley, Alabama Southeast Alabama 5th Episcopal District of CME Church.
- In 2017 she received a Doctoral Degree of Advocacy in recognition of contributions to the church and community.
- In 2019 she received the Remarkable Womens Award recipient WRBL and Nexstar.
- In 2020 she was the Grand Winner of the Remarkable Womens Award.
- She has served as Congressional Caucus Veterans Brain Trust Remarkable Woman of the Year Award in Washington D C.
Our History
The Jean Keel Story
December 29, 2023 In Dec 29, 2023, we will launch the Tiny Home Project, for our homeless women veterans experiencing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and military sexual trauma.
October 6, 2022 Visit from United States Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Conservation services. Planning for Conservation Reserve Program for the wildlife and habitat on the unused land.
August 1, 2021 The tunnel houses will increase revenue by allowing crops to be planted all year round.
November 1, 2020 Introduction to the visitors for our open house on Veterans Farm Day. Guest from various farms supporting our veterans and USDA and Mid-South RC&D of Alabama. Great networking opportunities.
October 1, 2019 Renovation of our building to be used as a tiny house for two women veterans that are homeless and experiencing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and military sexual trauma.
Coming Soon – Tiny Home Project
USDA/NRC Visit
High Tunnel Houses Built
Veterans Farm Day Open House
Building Renovation
Photo Gallery
Our Produce
Tomatoes
Visit our farm for fresh tomatoes picked daily.
Cabbage
Visit our farm for fresh cabbage picked daily.
Watermelon
Visit our farm for fresh watermelon picked daily.
Sweet Potatoes
Visit our farm for fresh sweet potatoes picked daily.
Veterans Program
Veterans Outreach and Farm
Tender Love & Care Veterans Outreach established services to prevent homelessness, by providing a means to obtaining benefits and compensation for veterans, widows, and orphans of deceased veterans. Our goal is to reduce the number of homeless veterans living on the streets without benefits.
Therapeutic Farming
Our Therapeutic Farm is a safe place for healing for homeless and wounded veterans. This includes veterans suffering post-traumatic stress disorder and military sexual trauma. Our farm project will consist of twenty tiny houses for homeless women veterans.
The farm will produce vegetables to sell at farmers markets in various locations. The project will have on-site training for life-skills, culinary for healthy lifestyles, a resale store, beginning farming and business infrastructure development.
Transitional Housing
Tender Love & Care Farm has provided transitional housing for the homeless veterans for over eight years in Columbus, Georgia. (1990-1999). In 1996, Congressman Sanford Bishop and Congresswoman Corrine Brown recognized Tender Love & Care with a Certificate of Congressional Recognition for their outstanding achievement as the Georgia Best Transitional Housing Program.
Benefit Consulting
The primary goal of the Tender Love & Care veterans outreach program is to provide unsheltered and disenfranchised veterans and their families. The objective is to provide positive solutions to ensure their safety and maximize their potential, all while taking advantage of available opportunities.
In addition, community resource information is provided to assist veterans with the transition from homeless to self-sufficiency. The goal is to reduce and help eradicate veteran homelessness in the tri-city area and ultimately in America.
Testimonials
Ths is an excelllent program to support our veterans.
A a veteran and former farrmer, I really appreciate the work Jean is doing to support fellow veterans.
Michael E. Moore
Outreach Coach
Great iniatiative to support veterans
I commend Jean for her work to assist homeless veterans . I look forwad to future program development,
Mel Dowdell
Internet Consultant
Great variety of fresh vegetable!
I get a great value when I shop for fresh vegetable for my restaurant. Keep up the good work!.
Jeanine Flannery
Restaurant Owner
In The News
Our Blog
WRBL News 3 Congratulates Dr. Jean Keel As Grand Prize Winner Of The “Remarkable Women” Contest
COLUMBUS, Ga (WRBL)- For several weeks, we have been telling you the story of four exceptional women in our community—a part of the “Remarkable Women” contest sponsored by WRBL’s parent company Nexstar. People who noticed these outstanding ladies and their...
Remarkable Women: Local Veteran Works To Create A Space For Women Veterans To Heal, Recover
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) – Helping others has always been a calling for Reverend Dr. Jean Keel, a retired U.S. Army veteran who served for twenty years, starting in Vietnam. Keel retired from Martin Army Hospital in 1989 as a Sergeant First Class before starting the first...
Supporting our Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and or Moral Injury by Therapeutic Farming
Helping our heroes from the wounds of the trauma, stressors events or violation from the past. Struggling with moral pain can get complicated when morality of the mind and heart aren't working together. Soul repair or healing is not easy. Farming is proven to be...
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Address
662 Lee Road 348, Salem, Alabama 36874
Phone
(706) 505-5186
FAX
(334) 408-5058