INDIANAPOLIS — In honor of Veterans Day next week, a group of more than 50 volunteers with The Home Depot Foundation remodeled two homes for veterans in Indianapolis.
The homes are being used as temporary housing for the nonprofit Helping Veterans and Families of Indiana. The group works to provide housing and reintegration services for homeless veterans, as well as programs to prevent at-risk veterans from becoming homeless.
On Thursday, Nov. 7, volunteers updated the kitchen, replaced countertops and window blinds, painted and landscaped.
"We are just happy to support them. With the things we do, we can take a little off their plate," said Matt Rice, district community captain for The Home Depot. "I think it's a great opportunity for us to work closely with them and give back. We are really trying to improve lives for homeless vets."
The project is called "Operation Surprise" and is done every year. Rice said they have worked with HVAF for almost 15 years.
"When you roll up and you see all of the orange shirts, you know that good work is happening, and we are thankful for that," said Emmy Hildebrand, CEO of HVAF of Indiana.
That's especially true right now as HVAF works to recover from a catastrophic fire at their downtown housing facility.
Donations continue to pour in, but Hildebrand said help is still needed.
"We are so grateful for our community. We couldn't do what we do normally without our community, but facing a crisis like the fire at Manchester apartments is a good reminder of the support that our community shows veterans and organizations who serve them," Hildebrand said.
Since 2011, The Home Depot Foundation has invested more than $500 million in veteran causes and has committed $750 million by 2030.