Nonprofit: Veterans Community Project
We hacked Airbnb to reveal veteran homelessness.
Video — Veterans Community Project: Homeless Listings Case Study
Veterans Community Project: Homeless Listings Case StudyHomeless listings: Turning vacation clicks into veteran support.
The Stakes
Each night, over 30,000 American veterans experience homelessness, an invisible crisis that deserves a louder call for action. The Veteran’s Community Project needed national awareness and donor support, but didn’t have the media budget to make it happen.
The Friction
Traditional PSAs get ignored, especially by the affluent audiences most likely to donate. So how do you get people to care about homelessness when they’re busy booking dreamy getaways on Airbnb and VRBO?
The Shift
BarkleyOKRP hijacked vacation rental platforms with “Homeless Listings”: real listings showcasing Google Maps imagery of actual veteran encampments. Launched during Veterans Day weekend, this guerrilla campaign confronted people with the uncomfortable truth: the harshest “listings” aren’t vacation homes—they’re where forgotten veterans sleep.
The Lift
Without spending a single dollar, the campaign delivered massive impact: a 600% increase in donations, a 10x spike in first-time donors, and widespread media attention. It turned vacation clicks into veteran support—and made America look twice.
Results
- $0 budget for this campaign.
- 10x increase in donors.
- 600% increase in donations.
- 15MM+ earned media impressions.
