When historic flooding destroyed the first floor of Home Depot associate Tom Svopa’s home in 2016, he somehow managed to rebuild. When Hurricane Harvey showed up a little over a year later and destroyed that same home, it felt like déjà vu.
Tom is one of 1,400 associates in the Houston area helped by The Homer Fund after Hurricane Harvey. The Homer Fund provided him and his wife, who has been blind since birth, critical funds needed at a critical time.
With more than 20 years at The Home Depot, Tom is no stranger to helping other associates through this community-oriented program. But this time, it was his turn to ask for assistance.
“I was called multiple times to see if I needed help,” he tearfully recalls of the days following the storm.
“Leaving your house and not being able to take anything with you except for the clothes on your back – at that point, you’re going to need something,” says Tom. “But The Homer Fund makes it easy for me to step into this phase, which is the rebuilding phase. And you know what – it will all be brand new and better than ever.”
When disasters like a hurricane or tornado strike our communities, Home Depot stores are among the last to close and first to open. Our people are committed to supporting customers as they prepare and rebuild their homes. But, many times they experience the same fears and losses as our customers, trying to figure out how to pick up the pieces of their damaged homes and move forward.
In those moments, The Homer Fund steps in to provide the assistance they need to weather the storm and rebuild their lives.
“The Homer Fund reached out to me when I had nothing,” Tom reflects. “I don’t have to worry so much because they’ve got this.”
Watch Tom and Monica’s story of resilience:
The Homer Fund: Hurricane Harvey Response - Tom & Monica's Story from Homer Fund on Vimeo.
