Over the last 10 years, through our Veterans Build initiative, Habitat has worked closely with The Home Depot Foundation to deliver both critical and minor home repairs to veterans and military families. While Indian River Habitat serves Indian River County, The Home Depot Foundation grants millions of dollars nationwide to nonprofits that focus on ending veteran homelessness, creating housing for our most critically wounded veterans, and ensuring aging veterans have a safe place to call home.
According to The National Low Income Housing Coalition, 2.5 million veteran-headed households are 55 years of age or older. Of those 2.5 million veterans, 24 percent have housing cost burdens, and 35 percent are likely to have a disability, which suggests a great need for home modifications, health and other supportive services.
What might initially begin as a minor fix, can lead to a major home repair if left unaddressed. For veterans living on a fixed income or disability, the costs associated with these repairs can be out of reach.
Home repairs range from interior or exterior work performed to address health, life and safety issues; reconfiguration of space; modifications to improve accessibility; and installation or extension of plumbing and mechanical or electrical systems on existing structures.
Habitat for Humanity and Home Depot’s commitment to military families continues throughout the year. Indian River Habitat is honored and humbled to share that nearly 25% of all families served through our Home Repair Program are military-headed households.
At Habitat, along with partners like Home Depot, we are not only motivated to do all that we can, but also highly motivated to honor those who have served.
Join us this Memorial Day for an opportunity to pause, remember and recommit ourselves to honoring our veterans.
To learn more about Indian River Habitat’s Home Repair Program, please visit irchabitat.org/home-repairs or click here.