Home Depot Team Give Veteran Bathroom Makeover

My name is Teri Ely, the Executive Director of Veterans’ Outreach.  I have been blessed with being a small part of a really great experience.  An older veteran I know that is in poor health was unable to use his tub for months due to a leaking problem.  I was in contact with Home Depot’s Team Depot regarding a veteran they were helping with a kitchen remodel.  I told my contact about this veteran that badly needed help with his bathroom remodel.
Team Depot went to see the bathroom and immediately agreed to put him on the list.  A couple of weeks ago, volunteers arrived on Tuesday, by Friday they were done.  They redid the walls, ceiling, and floor.  They installed a new commode, shower base and walls, sink and vanity.  They painted the walls and even provided a beautiful shower curtain to pull it all together.  A completely new bathroom installed for FREE!
I asked the veteran how he liked it, he smiled one of those deep, sighing smiles and with tears in his eyes said “It’s really nice to be able to get a shower again.”  This is an example of the power of networking with people to reach a common goal.

Veteran is Dressed Up and Ready to Go

An older veteran and his wife came to our office for an appointment with Bob, our Services Director. They needed help with their rent and some other small items. While talking with Bob, one of our veteran volunteers stopped by after attending a funeral. He looked very dapper in his suit and reminded us that he had gotten the suit from Veterans’ Outreach, through our
Heroes’ Closet Program.

The veteran with Bob said that he was very depressed because he had two family weddings coming up soon and wasn’t planning to attend either of them. When asked why, he stated that he didn’t have a suit to wear and his wife didn’t have a dress that would work for the occasions. Bob took them to our Heroes’ Closet and was able to hook the veteran up with 2 suits and his wife with several items. Clothing is donated by caring people just for this kind of purpose – to give back to a veteran at no cost.

Sight, Sound and a Home

Today’s Case of the Week comes from our Hartselle, AL office written by Mike Johnson, our AL event coordinator.

Last week we had a Vietnam veteran stop in to see us and inquire what we did. He stated that he was laid off in 2011 and has been living in his truck all this time. When you talked with him you had to raise your voice because he was very hard of hearing, and to top it off he stated that he didn’t see very well and he had no glasses. He is living on a small social security check and was having a hard time asking for help.

I asked him if he has been to the VA hospital in Huntsville, which is a very good facility. He said he has not so our office manager called a contact over there to help him with housing, and another to hopefully help him with employment. While there they can help with eye glasses and possibly a hearing aid. He stated that it was hard for him to ask for help, I told him that his help now was more than earned in Vietnam.

Power for a Veteran in Need

Today’s Case of the Week comes from our Sarasota, FL office written by Bob Graham. A VA caseworker from the FL East coast contacted the Sarasota office to request help for a fully disabled veteran. The caseworker has been trying to get full 100% coverage for which the vet is fully qualified but nothing works rapidly with the government. Meanwhile, he has no income and his electricity provider demands payment or will shut down his power. We contacted the utility, exercised our partnership agreement, and guaranteed payment – the vet and his caseworker were very pleased that it happened so rapidly and easily.