We are in the relationship business and that relationship doesn’t stop at the door of our store, it extends to our community.
This phrase was a favorite of The Home Depot’s founders. From the beginning, associates were always giving back to their communities. In 1993, the retailer decided to make it official and organize forces. With that, Team Depot, the volunteer program, was born. Today, we celebrate 25 years of giving back.
Team Depot gave associates the support and resources they needed to do more. The end result? A bigger impact on more communities. And that impact did not go unnoticed.
In April 1995, President Clinton recognized Team Depot for community service. The organization received the President’s Service Award, the highest honor given to volunteers by the President.
While being recognized is an honor, it’s the opportunity to impact a life that drives Team Depot.
Longtime Team Depot District Captain and Customer Order Specialist from Store 2717 Judy Custer recalls how her team helped a veteran who was confined to a wheelchair.
“One of his favorite things to do was to go out every morning and watch the sunrise. He hadn't been able to do this for three years because he had no ramp or way to get outside without help. We built him a small deck area above the ramp. The next morning, his wife sent us a video of him watching the sunrise with tears streaming down his face. It just made me cry. Things that we just take for granted meant so much to this veteran. It is so heartwarming to make such a difference in someone's life.”
Through the years, Team Depot’s commitment and investment in communities has grown. Since 2011, Team Depot has enhanced more than 37,000 veteran homes and facilities across 3,840 cities.
In the current climate of recurring natural disasters, Team Depot members have been extremely active in rebuilding communities. In 2017, The Home Depot Foundation made a $3 million commitment to help communities rebuild after natural disasters while Team Depot had boots on the ground to do the work.
Today, Team Depot is a 400,000-strong army of associate volunteers, led by more than 2,200 community captains spanning for every associate level, from vice president to cashier. Together with The Home Depot Foundation, Team Depot continues to work to improve the homes and lives of U.S. military veterans and their families, as well as to aid communities affected by natural disasters.
