TAUNTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Homes for Our Troops and an army of Texas volunteers over seven weeks will begin constructing four specially adapted homes for severely injured veterans in Texas. Donations from grateful Americans will ensure each of these homes is presented mortgage free. Three Texas homebuilders have partnered with Homes for Our Troops to help rebuild the lives of these deserving American heroes.
“Homes for Our Troops has built nearly 100 homes in 33 states, but the support that Texas has shown our organization and these veterans is remarkable,” said John Gonsalves, founder of Homes for Our Troops. “Twelve veterans have asked us to build them a home in Texas since 2004, and the builders, businesses and communities of this great state have stepped up to make that happen every time.”
The builds will begin on March 11 in Killeen, where Homes for Our Troops and Cameo Homes, Inc. will start construction on a home for Sgt. 1st Class Charles Armstead and his family. Armstead was on his third deployment when an Iraqi insurgent infiltrated his outpost and shattered his hip with a gunshot to his stomach, resulting in the loss of his right leg up to his pelvis. Originally from Needville, Armstead remains active, enjoying wheelchair basketball and fishing.
Building continues on March 18 with the first of two homes in El Paso constructed by Veliz Construction. The first home will be presented to Spc. Adrian Garcia who lost both his legs above the knees after a rocket propelled grenade attack. Construction on the second home, for Cpl. Daniel Gasca, will begin April 29. Gasca was left a double amputee after an IED explosion in Iraq. He currently lives with his wife, Angel, and their two sons in a cramped 19th floor apartment, which greatly restricts his independence.
A fourth home, in Boerne, for Staff Sgt. Nicholas McCoy, is set to begin on April 1 with the help of Veritas Custom Homes. McCoy had both legs amputated and remained in a medically induced coma for nearly two months after an IED detonated during his patrol in Iraq. McCoy commented, "Living in a Homes for Our Troops specially adapted home will allow me to live a comfortable life in my own home... something I wasn’t always sure would be possible."
Gasca’s home will be among the first constructed as part of the 100 More…Homes for Our Troops campaign, a national challenge to address the growing backlog of severely injured veterans, estimated at 1,200 to 1,500. Homes for Our Troops launched the campaign during Veterans Week 2010 with Campaign Chairman General Richard Cody, retired Vice Chief of Staff, U.S. Army.
Homes for Our Troops projects are made possible with support from generous individuals, foundations and corporate contributors including Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, Mastic Home Exteriors, Phil Mickelson’s Birdies for the Brave, PGA Tour Charities, Singer Billy Joel, Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins Community Foundation, Volvo Rents and Fujifilm. Homes for Our Troops has received top ratings from the American Institute of Philanthropy among Veterans & Military Charities and Charity Navigator. The organization is a member of the National Association of Home Builders and the U.S. Green Building Council.
About Homes for Our Troops: Homes for Our Troops is a national non-profit 501c 3 organization based in Taunton, Mass. founded by John Gonsalves in 2004 (www.homesforourtroops.org). The organization’s mission is to build specially adapted homes for service members who have been severely injured in combat operations since September 11, 2001. All specially adapted homes are built at no cost to the veteran thanks to donations from thousands of individuals, foundation grants, corporate sponsors, professional tradespeople and generous support from countless volunteers.