On Saturday, the nation will observe Veterans Day in honor of the men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. As Americans celebrate their service to our country, it is important to recognize the many sacrifices that have been made, and the continued struggles of veterans who have returned home.
Unfortunately, homeownership remains out of reach for many veterans due to high housing costs. Meanwhile, severely injured and disabled veterans sometimes lack the home modifications and supportive services they need to live safely. The following organizations are serving veterans and their families by building, donating, and modifying homes, so that veterans can enjoy the independence and comfort they fought to protect.
–Habitat for Humanity’s Veterans Build program partners with over 100 veteran-serving organizations to offer safe and affordable housing to veterans across the country. A large volunteer base of veterans, their families, and community members aims to ease veterans’ transition to civilian life while helping them achieve homeownership.
—Operation Finally Home is an organization made up of builders, suppliers, and supporters building mortgage-free homes for veterans who are wounded, ill, or injured; widows of fallen soldiers; and their families. Though the organization primarily serves individuals returning from ongoing campaigns, veterans of any campaign may apply.
—Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) serves post-9/11 veterans by building and donating custom homes for the severely injured. The group has built 248 homes nationwide, with the mission of enabling veterans to focus on their family and recovery by restoring their independence.
–The Gary Sinise Foundation’s R.I.S.E. program — Restoring Independence, Supporting Empowerment — builds specially adapted smart homes for veterans from all campaigns who are aging, ill, wounded, or severely injured. The program also offers home modifications, mobility devices, and adapted vehicles to improve injured these veterans’ quality of life and enable their independence.
—Building Homes for Heroes builds new homes and donates them, mortgage-free, to post-9/11 veterans and their families. The organization is committed to helping veterans rebuild their lives, and also conducts home modifications to ensure injured veterans live safely while focusing on their recovery.
—The Warrior’s Project, sponsored by Operation: Warrior’s Path, is a veterans housing assistance program that serves individuals suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Veterans and volunteers from the community modify existing homes, repair damaged features, and build new homes from the ground up, to support veterans in the path to greater emotional stability.
–Operation Homefront’s Homes on the Homefront program receives donated homes from partners like Chase, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and Meritage Homes to award to military families across the country. Honorably discharged veterans or retirees, retired Reservists and National Guardsmen, as well as widowed spouses, may apply for these mortgage-free homes.
