Volunteers with Home Depot lend a helping hand at HVAF

Team Depot at HVAF

Clad in orange T-shirts 112 volunteers from Home Depot gave up a day off in July to honor veterans at HVAF of Indiana. The group completed a major renovation project and installed backsplashes in each kitchen at Manchester Apartments. The 51-room apartment building, which is one of two of HVAF co-ed properties, was in need of updating.

Not only did the Home Depot employees give up a day off from work to volunteer at HVAF of Indiana, the company also funded the project. This project was part of a 10-thousand dollar grant in which the Home Depot provided all the materials and labor.

“One of the ways that we live our core values at Home Depot is giving back to the community,” says Tony Davis, Specialty Assistant Store Manager (store #2014). “Being a veteran of the US Army gives me a sense of pride to represent those who have served our country."

“Home Depot has committed $80 million to address the problem of veteran homelessness, to be spent over the next three years,” says Home Depot District Manager Bob Blake. “We are happy to be at HVAF where work is needed to be done to improve the quality of life for these veterans.”

Stand Down

This year's annual Veterans Stand Down event will be held on Thursday, September 11 at AMVETS Post 99 in Indianapolis. Services for veterans include food, clothing, health screenings, haircuts, and much more. Veterans also have the opportunity to learn about services provided to them by several service organizations. Learn more here: http://www.hvafofindiana.org/stand-down/

Frontiers International, Inc. donates suits to veterans

Robert Walls (left) with members of
Frontiers International

Are unwanted suits cluttering up your wardrobe? One group decided to put their old suits to good use and donate them to HVAF. Frontiers International, Inc. encouraged suit donations from their members because oftentimes a major barrier facing homeless veterans trying to get a job is not having proper professional clothing for the interview.

Spearheading the suit drive was Robert Walls, member of the Frontiers International, a volunteer based company whose mission is advancement through service. He is also a US Air Force veteran of 20 years.

"Wearing a suit has a massive effect on confidence - especially when looking for work. If we can help individuals to feel more confident when going to interviews, and therefore increase their chances of getting a job, then the drive will have been a resounding success."

While the majority of suits came from their members, the group also reached out to department stores, like Macy's.

A recent beneficiary is employment-seeking Tony B., 49, who came to HVAF in August 2013 after following a period of homelessness. Tony said: "I recently attended a job interview; for the interview I wore a suit donated to HVAF because I wanted to make a good impression."

Ten suits, twenty shirts and more than a dozen shoes were donated this month.

Week of Hope volunteers at HVAF

Week of Hope volunteers at HVAF

Week of Hope, a nonprofit organization that supports youth summer mission trips, sent 40 volunteers to HVAF during the month of July. The volunteers represented church and faith communities from across the country, and they fanned out into Indianapolis neighborhoods where HVAF properties are located, working alongside HVAF maintenance staff and clients to beautify housing properties.

Volunteers are important partners in our efforts to end homelessness among veterans by supporting their return to self-sufficiency and engaging at-risk veterans to prevent them from becoming homeless.

The Week of Hope teams, which arrived in small groups of 10-15 along with a group leader for one-week projects at a time, painted porches at the La Fever, Jackson, and Newton properties and they removed clutter from the Keltner House.

The Udell House built in the 1950's is one of HVAF's older properties. The home had not had any updates to its cement block garage since HVAF acquired the property in 1999. Volunteers cleaned and painted the garage and cut weeds that had blocked the garage. They also scraped off the old paint and repainted it.

Autumn Weaver, 16, signed up for service work through her Lutheran Church in Garner, Iowa, and painted porches. Her father is a veteran and so this project holds a special place in her heart because she always wanted to serve those who have served.

Josh Brown, 18, from Decatur, Alabama, traveled to Indianapolis with a group of 20.

Volunteer Josh Brown at HVAF

"We met one gentleman (veteran) when we took the old carpet out and he was so thankful for just the small things, and it makes me feel so thankful for the little things," he says.

We showed our thanks for their work by awarding all Week of Hope volunteers a certificate of appreciation as well as HVAF logo key chains, but we believe the greatest gift the volunteers took home was a greater knowledge of the issue of homelessness among veterans.

"It was almost unthinkable for our kids that our brave men and women veterans would find themselves homeless, and that is one of the reasons why they've been so motivated to help," says Project Leader Sarah Roelofs.

"These volunteers have taken time out of their day to help out others in need," says HVAF Volunteer Coordinator Rachel Anderson.  "Whether they came in for 2 hours or 30, we recognize that without their enthusiasm and hard work we couldn't do it alone
.

Veterans Job Fair at HVAF

Veterans! Indiana companies want to hire you, and HVAF of Indiana is helping you connect.

Date:        Thursday, July 24^th 2014

                 1pm-4pm    

           

Address:   HVAF of Indiana Inc.

                  964 North Pennsylvania Street

                 Indianapolis, IN 46204

                  Home Depot Multipurpose Conference Room

Companies in attendance:

Bell Techlogix, FedEx, Walmart, BRI Staffing, Home Depot, TKO Graphix, and many more

These Companies are Actively Hiring. Please bring your resume!

For more information contact Employment Specialist Chasiti Herring at 317-951-0688 cherring@hvaf.org.