Volunteers of America, The Home Depot® Foundation and The Mission Continues Build Veterans Memorial Park in Detroit
More than 200 volunteers from The Home Depot joined
Volunteers of America Michigan and
The Mission Continues on Oct. 5 to build a memorial park next to a new shelter for homeless veterans near downtown Detroit.
The volunteers transformed a previously vacant lot in into The Home Depot Foundation Veterans Memorial Park, a vibrant new green space with beautiful landscaping, benches and a large pergola. Volunteers also installed a flag stand in the park, and the Michigan Honor Guard raised the park’s first flag.
The vacant lot is across the street from a building that Volunteers of America Michigan is currently renovating to provide a transitional home for homeless veterans in Detroit as well as providing them with job training and other supportive services. Opening on Veterans Day 2011, Nov. 11, this facility will serve up to 120 veterans each year, helping them transition successfully into civilian life.
Work performed by volunteers from Team Depot - The Home Depot's associate-led volunteer corps - including the planting of flowers, shrubs and trees; building benches, planter boxes, a pergola and a brick BBQ grill; and thoroughly cleaning the inside of the facility and vacant lot adjacent to the park. In addition, six flagpoles were erected - five on the facility site representing each branch of military service and one at the park site with the American flag.
This effort to support Volunteers of America Michigan was part of The Home Depot Foundation’s two-month ‘Celebration of Service’, a campaign to honor U.S. military veterans, celebrate their contributions and provide support to nonprofit organizations that serve them. Along with veteran volunteers from The Mission Continues, Home Depot associate volunteers will complete 200 service projects across the country between Sept. 11 and Veterans Day.