Building upon a partnership that has helped thousands of U.S. military veterans, The Home Depot® Foundation has pledged more than $1.75 million in new Veteran Housing Grants to Volunteers of America to address the critical housing needs of former service members. Since beginning its partnership with Volunteers of America in 2011, the foundation has given nearly $11.3 million to improve housing for homeless veterans and their families.

The 2016 grants will support nine Volunteers of America homeless veterans programs in seven states. This funding will help improve or build 226 units of housing for veterans, including up to 64 earmarked specifically for women veterans, and is part of a larger Volunteers of America initiative which will impact 883 units of housing. Volunteers of America is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit organizations addressing the needs of vulnerable veterans. Nationally, it serves approximately 40,000 veterans each year who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness.

Affiliates and housing programs receiving new grants in 2016 from The Home Depot Foundation include:

• Volunteers of America of Florida (“Ritz Reserve”): Permanent supportive housing for 43 male and female veterans at a repurposed former resort hotel in Ocala, Fla.
• Volunteers of America Greater Los Angeles (“North Hollywood Apartments for Homeless Veterans & Families“): 475 affordable apartments for male and female veterans and their families in North Hollywood, Calif.
• Volunteers of America of Greater New Orleans (“Groves at Mile Branch”): Affordable single-family homes for 25 male and female veterans in Covington, La.
• Volunteers of America Greater – New York (“East 119th Street Veteran Residence”): Permanent supportive housing for 175 male and female veterans in Manhattan.
• Volunteers of America of Greater Ohio (“Annabelle’s Place”): Permanent supportive housing housing for 12 female veterans in North College Hill, Ohio.
• Volunteers of America of Massachusetts (“Forestdale Park Assisted Living and Memory Care”): Permanent supportive housing for 82 older male and female veterans in Malden, Mass.
• Volunteers of America Northern New England (“Cabin in the Woods”): Secluded, permanent supportive housing for 23 male veterans in Chelsea, Maine.
• Volunteers of America of Upstate New York (“Cooper Union”): Permanent supportive housing for 45 male veterans in Rochester, N.Y.
• Volunteers of America of Florida (“Mobile Veterans Home Repair Program”): Funding for the fourth year of a mobile van used for making critical repairs to veterans’ homes in dire need of rehabilitation.

To date, The Home Depot Foundation has funded more than 80 Volunteers of America veterans’ housing projects, providing over 3,000 units for veterans, including almost 500 units specifically for women veterans and their families, in Alabama, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, and Washington. In addition to the grants, Team Depot, The Home Depot’s associate-led volunteer force, has completed countless projects to improve Volunteers of America’s veteran housing facilities.

The partnership is part of The Home Depot’s nationwide commitment to improving the homes and lives of U.S. military veterans and their families. In the last five years, Team Depot, the company’s associate-led volunteer force, has transformed more than 25,000 homes for veterans and their families with the support of more than $138 million in donations from The Home Depot Foundation. Learn more about the partnership with Volunteers of America.

About Volunteers of America
Volunteers of America is a national, nonprofit, faith-based organization dedicated to helping those in need live healthy, safe, and productive lives. Since 1896, our ministry of service has supported and empowered America’s most vulnerable groups, including veterans, seniors, people with disabilities, at-risk youth, men and women returning from prison, homeless individuals and families, those recovering from addictions, and many others. Volunteers of America helps almost 2 million people in over 400 communities through hundreds of human service programs, including housing and health care. Our work touches the mind, body, heart, and ultimately the spirit of those we serve, integrating our deep compassion with highly effective programs and services.

About Giving Back at The Home Depot
Since the first Home Depot store opened in 1979, giving back has been a core value for the Company and a passion for its associates. Today, The Home Depot, in partnership with The Home Depot Foundation, focuses its philanthropic efforts on improving the homes and lives of U.S. military veterans and their families and aiding communities affected by natural disasters. Through Team Depot, the Company’s associate-led volunteer force, thousands of associates dedicate their time and talents to these efforts in the communities where they live and work.

Since 2011, The Home Depot Foundation has invested more than $138 million in veteran-related causes and along with the help of Team Depot volunteers, has transformed more than 25,000 homes for veterans. Learn more and see Team Depot in action.

Contacts:
David Burch, Senior Director, Communications
Volunteers of America
703-341-5054 (o)
dburch@voa.org

Erin Cannaday, Team Depot Communications
The Home Depot Foundation
770-433-8211, ext. 81918 (o)
erin_cannaday@homedepot.com