The Home Depot Foundation takes on veterans' housing needs

ATLANTA, Sept. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, The Home Depot^® Foundation announced the launch of its third Celebration of Service campaign, an annual two-month initiative that is part of its five-year, $80 million commitment, to ensure military veterans and their families have a safe place to call home. Starting today through Veterans Day, The Home Depot Foundation will invest $3 million, and thousands of Home Depot associate volunteers will complete more than 350 service projects, many addressing the particular needs of women veterans, caretakers and their families.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130905/CL74339-INFO )

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110413/CL82087LOGO )

There are currently about 22 million veterans living in the U.S., 3.5 million of whom have service-connected disabilities and 40 percent of whom are over the age of 65. Many need accessibility modifications to live comfortably and safely or are unable to perform maintenance on their homes. The inability to modify, maintain and repair their homes impacts not only the veterans, but their families and caregivers as well. The vast majority (70 percent) of caregivers for veterans are spouses, while an additional 25 percent are parents. The fastest growing group within the veteran community is women. Unfortunately, women veterans are also the fastest growing segment of the homeless population, and are twice as likely to be homeless as their civilian counterparts.  

To address the diverse housing needs of veterans, since 2011, The Home Depot Foundation has invested over $50 million in hundreds of organizations that provide housing and rehabilitation services to veterans and their families.

"Many veterans and their families find themselves without a safe place to call home after bravely serving our country," said Kelly Caffarelli, president of The Home Depot Foundation. "Our mission is not only to repair and refurbish the homes and facilities where veterans live and receive services, but also to say 'thank you' for their sacrifices."

Celebration of Service Kick Off

Over 2 million veterans call California home, more than any other state. California also has the largest veterans' homeless population, including 6,000 living in Los Angeles County. Because of these facts, the Foundation has invested over $5.25 million since 2011 to address the housing needs of veterans in Los Angeles and will launch Celebration of Service there.   

This year's Celebration of Service campaign kicks off with two projects: Team Depot volunteers will transform the home of a military veteran and single mother, as well as renovate the Haviland House, a transitional housing facility for women veterans and their children. 

Home Renovation, Los Angeles, Calif.

Lidia Perez, a Navy veteran, is the mother of two young boys. Seven family members live in her three-bedroom home, including Lidia and her sons, her mother, two adult sisters and young niece. The Home Depot Foundation and Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles, along with more than 75 Team Depot volunteers will complete a variety of projects to improve Lidia's home, including:

• Painting the exterior and interior of the home
• Installing carpet in the bedrooms
• Performing minor plumbing repairs
• Landscaping and installing fencing in the front and backyard to give the children a safe play area

Transitional Housing Facility Transformation, San Pedro, Calif.

In partnership with Volunteers of America and SHAWL (Supporting Harbor Area Women's Lives), more than 50 Team Depot volunteers will repair the Haviland House, an emergency transitional home that will serve women veterans and their children. Project work will include:

• Painting and repairing the exterior of the home
• Reinforcing the front porch
• Repairing the sprinkler systems
• Landscaping in the front and backyard for shade and privacy
• Creating an outdoor area with a porch and BBQ
• Installing new fences around the property to ensure child safety

For more about today's kickoff and updates on Team Depot's activities throughout Celebration of Service, follow The Home Depot Foundation on Twitter @homedepotfdn, #TeamDepot or #COS2013, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/homedepotfoundation, follow us on Instagram @homedepotgives or visit our website at www.homedepotfoundation.org.

About Celebration of Service

Each fall, between September 11 and November 11, The Home Depot Foundation mobilizes Team Depot, our associate-led volunteer corps, to work side-by-side with veterans to complete hundreds of projects across the country. Each volunteer project is designed to address unique needs of our nation's heroes including retrofitting homes for wheelchair-bound veterans; creating accessible outdoor areas for veteran families to enjoy together; providing necessary repairs to transitional housing facilities; and landscaping outdoor areas at medical centers and residences for veterans and their families, and much more. Throughout the campaign thousands of Home Depot associates and supplier partners will complete 350 service projects to ensure all veterans have a safe place to call home.

About The Home Depot Foundation

The Home Depot Foundation is dedicated to improving the homes of U.S. military veterans through financial and volunteer resources to help nonprofit organizations. The Foundation has pledged $80 million to these efforts over five years, and since 2011 has invested more than $52 million to ensure every veteran has a safe place to call home.

Through Team Depot, the company's associate-led volunteer program, thousands of Home Depot associates volunteer their time and talents to positively transform neighborhoods and perform basic repairs and modifications to homes and facilities serving veterans with critical housing needs.

Since its formation in 2002, The Home Depot Foundation has granted more than $340 million to nonprofit organizations improving homes and lives in local communities. To learn more and see our associates in action, visit www.homedepotfoundation.org.

SOURCE The Home Depot Foundation