Repairing roofs to provide safe and comfortable housing. Installing new flooring to prevent trip and fall hazards. Constructing wheelchair ramps to provide more accessible and independent living. For more than 9 million military veteran homeowners between the ages of 50-85, critical home repairs and modifications like this can be a big project to do alone.
To help, The Home Depot Foundation has partnered with Meals on Wheels America since 2015 as part of a joint initiative to improve the lives of veterans and their families in the Helping Homebound Heroes program. This year, both organizations are pleased to announce the completion of home repairs for their 1,500th senior U.S. military veteran.
“Through home modifications and repairs, we are able to give independence to those who have given so much for us,” says Meals on Wheels America President and CEO Ellie Hollander. “This has never been more important than now, during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, when seniors are spending even more time alone in their homes.”
Through this partnership, The Home Depot Foundation has contributed more than $11 million and countless volunteer hours from Team Depot, The Home Depot’s associate-led volunteer force.
“We feel honored to work alongside Meals on Wheels America and reach this partnership milestone in support of senior U.S. military veterans,” says Shannon Gerber, executive director of The Home Depot Foundation. “Restoring independence for our nation’s heroes is at the center of The Home Depot Foundation’s mission, and we’re proud to help ensure our senior veterans can successfully and comfortably live at home through home modifications.”
The Home Depot Foundation supports Meals on Wheels in nine communities, including backyard giving in their hometown of Atlanta, as well as locations supported through Meals on Wheels America in Alaska, Florida, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas. To learn more about The Home Depot Foundation, visit HomeDepot.com/Foundation.
Meals on Wheels America is now entering its seventh year of the Helping Homebound Heroes program, with a continued goal to serve even more aging veterans across the country. To learn more about Meals on Wheels, visit mealsonwheelsamerica.org.
