Home Depot helps disabled veterans improve housing

submitted photo The Journal

Mayor Johnson joins the volunteers of Team Depot during the breakfast kickoff of the Celebration of Service event at the Lifescape Community Services Center.

By Bob Balgemann
Reporter
Home Depot’s national program of providing housing assistance for disabled Veterans of service in the military has made a difference in the village and elsewhere in Winnebago County.
The force of associate-led volunteers, called Team Depot, recently was a presence in Machesney Park at the home of April Suarez, 128 Northwest Park Road. There, the bathroom was rehabbed and included installation of a new walk-in shower, sinks, and flooring and also was painted.
Value of that project was estimated at $17,000.
Two homes also were improved in Rockford, along with one in Rockton.
The Team Depot Celebration of Service Event had a kick-off breakfast Nov. 15 at the Lifescape Community Service Center, which was attended by Mayor Steve Johnson and various village representatives. Then the volunteers and attendees broke into teams and went to one of the veteran’s homes to complete several projects.
Through the Home Depot Foundation, the home improvement company’s volunteer task force devotes more than 100,000 hours each year to building and repairing homes for those who have served in the military. They also lend a hand to communities in need after disaster strikes.