Take Walter Ireland Jr. The 54-year-old former Marine has spent a year working on his transformation from a long-time drug-addict who could barely read to a cosmetologist with a GED and a passion for volunteering for programs that help children, the sick and senior citizens.

"There are not enough days in the week where I can do volunteer work," Ireland said. "All I want to do is give back"

The Maple Court Transitional Housing Program, where Ireland has spent the past year, has 24 one-bedroom apartments and provides case management services as homeless veterans work toward independence.

The veterans, who can stay for up to two years, say the program offers a balance of independence and counseling as they look for jobs, learn to keep their apartments clean and prepare healthy meals on a budget.

The more than $2.9 million facility at 207 Commons Blvd. had been in the works since 2002 and opened in April 2009. Volunteers of America held an official ribbon cutting ceremony just last month.

"We needed to get the financing in place, and we didn't have it," Volunteers of America Carolinas President and CEO Robert E. Rogers said.

When the project started, the Durham Housing Authority was going to provide Section 8 funding. Later, organizers realized the two-year housing limitation hindered their ability to use the Section 8 funding, Rogers said. So they sought out other opportunities, he said.

A city of Durham $300,000 loan turned into a donation, Volunteers of America put in $700,000, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs gave $500,000, the N. C. Housing Finance Agency gave $1 million, and the N.C. State Employees' Credit Union Foundation contributed $435,000.

"There were many obstacles and many times we didn't think it was going to come to pass," Rogers said.

Donations, VA stipends and other resources help fund daily operations, he said.

Since April 2009, 12 men have graduated and gone on to independent living. Three have left the program because of substance-abuse or rule violations.

To qualify for an apartment, veterans must have 90 days drug free. Services include counseling, transportation and access to computers. Most of the men are 45 to 58, said program director Rev. Joy C. Hager.

Program participants have chores, monthly apartment inspections, and curfews - 10 p.m. during the work week and 11 p.m. on weekends. But residents said that is a small price to pay for a furnished apartment and the resources now available to them.

Arnold Townsend, a 60-year-old Army veteran, described Maple Court as "a place to organize your life." The father of three grown children, ages 24 to 30, worked as an independent contractor in computer programming design until his marriage ended and job opportunities faded as he dealt with high blood pressure and diabetes, he said.

"Things just fell apart from there," Townsend said.

But his October move to Maple Court provided a respite to address his health problems, along with training, transportation and a permanent mailing address - all items that Townsend described as essential to making his transition back to independent living.

For Ireland, who is working on completing his GED at Durham Technical Community College so he can his attend cosmetology school, Maple Court is an opportunity to show the world that change is possible.

"I like to show that we can do better, and to give us a chance," he said. "It is teaching you how to live. That is all it is."