Guest Post: Charlotte County Habitat completes nine Legacy of Valor Veterans Home Repairs

Editor's Note: Mike Mansfield is the executive director of the Charlotte County Habitat for Humanity. Habitat affiliates in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto counties have partnered to provide home repairs and build homes for veterans through the Legacy of Valor campaign. 

Through a collaborative effort with four Southwest Florida Habitat for Humanity affiliates and support from the Legacy of Valor, a campaign created by The Patterson Foundation, Charlotte County Habitat committed to helping local veterans through a Veterans Home Repair Program.

On Flag Day 2013, we kicked-off our program with a ceremony celebrating veterans, with an emphasis on our local veterans. Our Veterans Home Repair Program was created to help local veteran homeowners whose homes were in need of minor interior repairs and/or an exterior “face lift." After the kick-off ceremony and publicity of the program, we were overwhelmed by the response and needs of many of our local veterans.

Ten veteran applicants qualified for the Charlotte County Habitat Veteran Home Repair Program. We are pleased to announce that work is complete on nine projects and the final project is underway. Projects ranged from painting and landscaping to electric repair and window replacement.

“It was very rewarding to be able to give back to those who have unselfishly sacrificed and served," said Randy, a Habitat site supervisor who worked on all nine projects.

For those receiving help from Habitat, the feeling is mutual.

“This is an amazing service being provided to veterans who really need physical and emotional help," said Vincent, an Army veteran and his wife, Lorraine, an Air Force International Guard veteran. "The Habitat staff and volunteers made us feel important and special to deserve this help for having served our country. Thank you so very much!”

Leonard Pasco, a veteran of the Air Force said, “My house hadn’t been painted in 15 years, so it was in bad shape. I didn’t have the finances or ability to paint the house myself. The volunteers and Habitat staff worked very hard while they were here, and my neighbors have been stopping by and complimenting the new look. I am overwhelmed, pleased and thankful for being included in Charlotte County Habitat’s Veteran Repair Program.”

At Charlotte County Habitat we believe in giving back and there are none more worthy than our veterans. We count it a blessing and a privilege to be able to serve our veterans through our Veteran Home Repair Program. It is one small way to say, “THANK YOU!”