Homefront Help: Purple Heart Homes

For many wounded warfighters, leaving the hospital is only the first step on a long journey toward healing and a renewed sense of belonging in the world. Purple Heart Homes reaches out to such service-connected disabled veterans from any conflict and their caregivers through two specialized programs. Veterans Aging in Place helps older veterans who currently own a home, while the Veteran Home Ownership program aids disabled former troops with becoming homeowners. Assistance ranges from adapting homes to accommodate injuries, building a home from the ground up or modifying a foreclosed home, all with the purpose of assisting veterans reintegrate into their communities.

Purple Heart Homes partners with local contractors who can take ownership of the process and thereby work with existing supply networks. This process involves members of the community from the outset. In addition to looking for volunteers from the building trades to lend a hand, the organization seeks people who can help with registration, fundraising, publicity or feeding volunteers, and is happy to use the enthusiasm of any hard workers willing to help out. Anyone interested in participating can learn more on the volunteer page. Disabled veterans interested in taking advantage of the available resources can fill out an application online to participate in the programs.

Homefront Help also has a Facebook page where visitors can gather and share information. If you know of a program that is helping service personnel, veterans or their families please submit that information to Rita Boland, SIGNAL’s news editor.