The Home Depot Foundation has invested more than $30 million in new grants to assist thousands of veterans secure and maintain safe, accessible housing through critical home repairs, smart home modifications, and programs for those exiting homelessness.
Through 44 grants to veteran service organizations, the Foundation is moving closer toward its pledge to invest $750 million in veteran causes by 2030. Although the country has made progress in ensuring veterans have access to housing (reducing the number of veterans experiencing homelessness by more than 55 percent since 2010), there’s more to do.
“Veterans are some of the last people to ask for help, and often the first to lend a hand to others in need. That’s why it’s so unfortunate that many continue to experience homelessness or live in homes in need of critical repairs,” says Erin Izen, executive director of The Home Depot Foundation. “Veteran housing has been a key priority for the Foundation since 2011, and this newest investment of $30 million shows our continued priority to ensure veterans can access the housing they need to thrive.”
The new grants will benefit the Foundation’s nationwide network of nonprofit partners to address both immediate veteran housing needs and more complex, long-term solutions, including:
New smart homes for catastrophically wounded veterans:
The Foundation works with several nonprofit partners to build specially adapted, mortgage-free smart homes for veterans who have been catastrophically wounded in combat. These houses are custom-built to meet their individual needs, whether they have experienced a traumatic brain injury or amputations. The new funding includes grants to Gary Sinise Foundation, Tunnel to Towers Foundation, and Jared Allen’s Homes for Wounded Warriors to support the construction of new accessible, personalized homes. The grants also will help provide full-home ADA-compliant modifications for veterans who have experienced combat-related injuries.
Critical home repairs for more than 1,000 senior, disabled, and low-income veterans:
Approximately half of all veterans are 65 and older, with many experiencing disabilities or living on a fixed income. Nonprofit partners like Meals on Wheels America, Habitat for Humanity International, Purple Heart Homes, and more provide critical home repairs for senior, disabled and low-income veterans, ensuring their homes are comfortable and accessible.
“We’re so grateful for The Home Depot Foundation’s support and the impact we’ve made together over the past 10 years – helping 4,000 aging veterans live more safely in their homes through our Helping Homebound Heroes program,” says Ellie Hollander, president and CEO of Meals on Wheels America. “What may seem like small modifications – installing grab bars, fixing wobbly railings or damaged doors – can make an enormous difference for a homebound senior veteran. We’re proud to continue honoring these heroes by helping them age with comfort, safety, and dignity in their own homes.”
Helping nearly 5,000 veterans from Hawaii to D.C. access housing:
The Foundation partners with nonprofit organizations to provide housing solutions for veterans who are unhoused or at risk of homelessness. Combined with access to essential wraparound services, like counseling, job training, financial literacy programs, and healthcare, these programs help address both immediate and long-term needs for veterans seeking shelter.
An example of this is a “master lease” pilot program, launched by the Foundation’s partner U.S.VETS two years ago in Los Angeles and Hawaii, with the goal of expanding housing opportunities for at-risk and formerly homeless veterans. This program enables U.S.VETS to lease rental units and take on any perceived risks associated with renting directly to veterans who otherwise may have had challenges being approved due to rental or credit history. The new funding will help the program expand to Washington, D.C., and Prescott, Arizona.
Directly impacting hundreds of veterans and their families, the grants also include funding for Volunteers of America to construct or rehabilitate housing units as well as support for Operation Homefront’s transitional housing villages, permanent supportive housing, and critical home repairs.
“At Operation Homefront, our mission is to ensure military families are strong, stable, and secure. Our Transitional Housing (Villages) program provides critical support during a particularly vulnerable and stressful time, as veterans and their families navigate medical care, separation from military service, and the transition to civilian life,” says Regan Huneycutt, Operation Homefront chief revenue officer. “Thanks to the generous support of partners like The Home Depot Foundation, we’re able to offer these life-changing programs at no cost to the families who have given so much to our nation and now need a helping hand in return.”
The investment comes during The Home Depot Foundation’s annual Celebration of Service campaign, which honors veterans with hundreds of service projects nationwide. From Patriot Day to Veterans Day, Team Depot will be in communities around the country to renovate, repair, and refresh veteran homes and facilities. To date, The Home Depot Foundation has invested more than $600 million in veteran causes and improved more than 65,000 veteran homes and facilities.
