The Home Depot Foundation Announces $1.4 Million in New Grants to Nonprofits Serving Veterans

(3BL Media / theCSRfeed) Atlanta, GA - September 19, 2011 - As part of its “Celebration of Service” initiative to honor U.S. military veterans, The Home Depot® Foundation today announced $1.425 million in grants to nonprofits dedicated to addressing the critical housing needs of U.S. military veterans.  From Seattle to St. Louis to D.C., today’s grant recipients provide more than 500 homes and apartments for veterans on an annual basis.  The grant recipients are U.S.VETS, Center for Veterans Issues, Ltd., The Jericho Project, Low Income Housing Institute and Renovating Hope, Inc.

Each Monday between September 11 and Veterans Day (November 11), The Home Depot Foundation will announce approximately $1 million in grants to veterans’ initiatives for a total of $9.1 million.  Grants announced during “Celebration of Service” are part of The Home Depot Foundation’s commitment of $30 million over three years to veterans’ housing needs.  Learn more about the grants announced thus far.  

“The Home Depot Foundation is committed to ensuring that every veteran has a safe place to call home, and the services provided by these stellar nonprofits are essential to fulfilling that goal,” said Kelly Caffarelli, president, The Home Depot Foundation. “We are impressed by the quality of work being done by each organization, and we hope that our funding and volunteer assistance will allow them to serve even more veterans and their families.”   
In addition to receiving funding, each nonprofit announced today will also be supported by Team Depot, the Company’s associate-led volunteer force:

U.S.VETS, $400,000, St. Louis & Washington, D.C.
U.S.VETS is the nation’s largest non-profit provider of services to veterans facing challenges in their transition to civilian life.  It has 11 locations nationwide and provides counseling, job training, job placement and housing services to almost 5,000 veterans nationwide each year. Grant support from The Home Depot Foundation will be used to:

• St. Louis:  Rehab and repair 21 apartments in seven buildings to provide graduated transitional to permanent housing opportunities for veterans and their families.

• D.C.: Rehab a new building that will provide 85 beds of transitional housing and 51 permanent supported housing for veterans and their families.

• Team Depot will complete projects at each site as needed.  On September 15, Team Depot completed landscaping, painting and repair work at a U.S.VETS facility in Inglewood, California.

Jericho Project, $75,000, Bronx, NY
The Jericho Project provides safe, affordable housing coupled with individualized substance abuse prevention counseling, family support and intensive career and educational programming to nearly 600 individuals and families annually.  Two of its six supportive housing residences are devoted specifically to veterans and their families.  The Home Depot Foundation’s grant will be used to:

• Install air conditioning units in 56 studio apartments for veterans at Fordham Village.

• Complete work on 76 studio apartments that will be housing veterans beginning in the winter of 2011.

• Good360, The Home Depot Foundation’s product donation nonprofit partner, will provide linens, cookware and small appliances for all units.

Low Income Housing Institute, $250,000, Seattle, WA
One of Washington State’s largest non-profits, LIHI provides case management and supportive services for single veterans as well as veterans with families, and advocates for fair housing policies,"  LIHI develops, owns and operates a portfolio of 1,850 units of affordable housing and homeownership units for veterans, seniors, families and people with disabilities, including six apartment buildings where182 veterans live.  Grant support from The Home Depot Foundation will be used to:

• Renovate and refurbish 73 veterans’ apartment units, including replacing appliances and flooring, painting, modifying bathrooms, creating a community room and space for a food bank.

• Provide one-day volunteer blitz working on veterans’ apartments, as well as other volunteer opportunities.

HVAF of Indiana, Inc., $300,000, Indianapolis, IN
HVAF of Indiana works to prevent and end homelessness among veterans and their families through outreach, supportive housing, case management and job placement.  With a combined 200-bed capacity, HVAF’s properties range from transitional housing to apartments to homes for veterans and their families.

• Renovate the 51-unit Manchester Apartment Complex for homeless veterans and their families

• Continue two-year partnership with Team Depot with additional volunteer events

Center for Veterans Issues, $300,000, Milwaukee, WI
The Center for Veterans Issues provides housing and supportive services to more than 800 veterans and their families each year.  The Home Depot Foundation’s grant will be used to:

• Renovate and weatherize 10 duplex homes for homeless veterans and their families who are ready to move from transitional housing to permanent housing

• Provide job training by hiring unemployed veterans to do construction and landscaping work

• Provide opportunities for Team Depot to work on all duplexes including minor repairs, painting, and landscaping

Renovating Hope, Inc., $100,000, Westchester, PA
Renovating Hope provides assistance to veterans and their families who live in homes needing significant renovation and repairs.  Renovating Hope works in cooperation with The National Association of the Remodeling Industry and the U.S. Army Wounded Warriors Program to identify veterans in need of these services.  Grant support from The Home Depot Foundation will be used to:

• Rehabilitate eight veterans’ homes, including new roofs, energy efficient appliances, plumbing, electrical, interior/exterior painting and landscaping

• Team Depot to be involved in wheelchair ramp construction where necessary as well as painting and landscaping projects

 ABOUT CELEBRATION OF SERVICE
“Celebration of Service” is a major campaign by The Home Depot and The Home Depot Foundation to enhance the lives of U.S. military veterans and to highlight the needs and opportunities they face.  The campaign includes:

200 service projects: In partnership with The Mission Continues, The Home Depot associate-volunteers will be completing 200 service projects directly aimed at improving homes, facilities and community centers where veterans and their families live and receive services. 

• $9 million in grants:  Each Monday between September 11 and November 11, The Home Depot Foundation will announce grants of approximately $1 million to nonprofits dedicated to veterans’ housing issues

• A gift card that gives back:  When customers purchase this specially-themed Home Depot gift card during Celebration of Service, five percent of the value placed on the card will go to The Home Depot Foundation to support nonprofits dedicated to veterans’ housing needs.  Gift cards may be purchased in our stores or online at www.homedepot.com.

• 3 Doors Down:  During Celebration of Service, when you buy multi-platinum rock band 3 Doors Down’s new CD “Time of My Life” from www.homedepot.com, $1 of the sale will go directly to support The Home Depot Foundation’s veterans’ housing initiatives.  The music of 3 Doors Down has inspired and comforted veterans, active duty troops and their families for many years

To learn more about The Home Depot Foundation’s commitment to veterans and “Celebration of Service” campaign, please visit www.homedepotfoundation.org.  

ABOUT THE HOME DEPOT FOUNDATION
The Home Depot Foundation is committed to ensuring that every U.S. military veteran has a safe place to call home.  In April 2011, the Foundation pledged a three-year, $30 million initiative to address veterans’ critical housing needs.

Since its formation in 2002, The Home Depot Foundation has granted more than $270 million to nonprofit organizations improving homes and lives in local communities.  To learn more and see our associates in action, visit www.homedepotfoundation.org, follow us on Twitter, and like us on Facebook.

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