Home Depot Foundation increases support for veterans to $250 million
Volunteers from local Home Depot stores paint the exterior of the home of a metro Atlanta veteran (Photo credit: The Home Depot Foundation)
By Maria Saporta
The Home Depot Foundation is stepping up its commitment to veteran related causes to $250 million by 2020.
The foundation announced the increased commitment Thursday morning as it kicked off its sixth annual “Celebration of Service” campaign.
Volunteers from local Home Depot stores improve landscaping at the home of a metro Atlanta veteran
(Photo credit: The Home Depot Foundation)
Supporting veterans is not new initiative for the Home Depot. Since 2011, the foundation has been focused on U.S. military veteran support. The increased commitment announced Thursday morning will help address several challenges facing veterans, including:
* More than 39,000 veterans are homeless on any given night. More than one million veterans are considered at risk of homelessness due to poverty, lack of support networks and subpar living conditions.
* More than 3.8 million veterans have a service-connected disability.
* There has been a 60 percent increase in veterans with service-connected disabilities since 1990.
* More than 9.4 million veterans are 65 years old or older, and many of these veterans need home modifications so they can safely age-in-place.
“We consider it a duty and honor to give back to our veterans,” said Giles Bowman, chair of the Home Depot Foundation board. “We know they experience many challenges when they return from service and their home shouldn’t be one of them. This increased commitment demonstrates our dedication to serving our nation’s heroes.”
Volunteers from local Home Depot stores paint the exterior of the home of a metro Atlanta veteran
(Photo credit: The Home Depot Foundation)
The foundation has been especially active in the Atlanta region, which is the headquarters of the Home Depot.
Since 2011, the Home Depot Foundation has invested $31 million in the City of Atlanta. The foundation and Team Depot have impacted 682 veteran homes in the last five years.
One of the veterans Team Depot will help on Sept. 1 is Thomas Redding, who served United States as a staff Sargent in the Army and a Chaplain Manager for more than 40 years.
Redding has work with soldiers to provide counseling for their issues – from divorce to depression and deployment.
On Thursday, Team Depot will transform the exterior of Redding’s home to help it become a more positive place to live. In his free time, Redding enjoys working with young soldiers and hearing their stories, according to a company spokesman.
From September 1 through Veterans Day, Team Depot, The Home Depot’s associate-led volunteer force, will work with local and national nonprofit organizations to complete projects for aging, combat-wounded and homeless veterans.
During the campaign, The Home Depot Foundation will partner with nonprofit organizations like the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation to help create modified homes for combat-wounded veterans.
Volunteers from local Home Depot stores wrap up renovations at the home of a metro Atlanta veteran
(Photo credit: The Home Depot Foundation)
“Team Depot is a tremendous group of hard workers that stretch from coast to coast,” said Frank Siller, chairman and CEO of the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation. “We can count on The Home Depot Foundation to help restore independence and dignity to veterans. We’re proud to partner with such a generous, impactful company and organization.”
The Celebration of Service is a two-month-long campaign focused on improving the homes and lives of U.S. military veterans and their families. From September 1 through Veterans Day, Team Depot, the Home Depot’s associate-led volunteer force, will work with local and national nonprofit organizations to complete projects for aging, combat-wounded and homeless veterans.
During the campaign, The Home Depot Foundation will partner with nonprofit organizations like the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation to help create modified homes for combat-wounded veterans.
Nationally, the Home Depot Foundation has invested more than $160 million to provide housing to veterans. Along with the help of Team Depot volunteers. It has impacted more than 26,700 homes for veterans
Nationally, the Home Depot Foundation has invested more than $160 million to provide housing to veterans, and along with the help of Team Depot volunteers, has impacted more than 26,700 homes for veterans.
On Thursday, the company will have Team Depot volunteers partnering with local nonprofit HouseProud to transform the homes of eight veterans in in the metro area.
