In honor of Veterans Day, The Home Depot Foundation will surprise 1,000 U.S. veterans across the country with rental and mortgage payment assistance for the month of December. Many of these veterans previously faced homelessness before securing permanent supportive housing in facilities operated by longstanding Foundation partners, including U.S.VETS, Volunteers of America and Quest Communities.

"This housing payment assistance is just one of the ways The Home Depot Foundation and the company are committed to supporting and thanking those who served our nation," said Ted Decker, chair, president and CEO of The Home Depot. "With more than 35,000 veteran, active military and military spouse associates, we're deeply invested in serving the military community through the Foundation's mission to provide safe and affordable housing and skilled trades training opportunities to veterans, as well as through the company's programs and benefits that support veteran associates and customers."

New Grant Funding Further Extends the Mission of The Home Depot Foundation

As part of its commitment to invest half a billion dollars in veteran causes by 2025, The Home Depot Foundation has also granted nearly $14.5 million in new funding to several of its nonprofit partners, which will primarily support veteran housing initiatives across the U.S. The incremental $14.5 million will further the joint mission of the Foundation and its partners to serve veterans in meaningful ways, including:

More than $2.2 million in funding for Operation Homefront will provide more than 200 veterans with improved housing through home repairs, transitional housing and critical financial assistance.
A $2.5 million grant to Semper Fi & America's Fund will support more than 260 home repairs, modifications and adaptations for veterans with service-connected disabilities.
$2.5 million to Habitat for Humanity International will empower nationwide affiliates to complete 130 critical home repairs for veterans through the Repair Corps program.
Another $1.6 million grant will fund an integrated, new program that joins the missions of Home Builders Institute (HBI) and Habitat for Humanity. The grant brings HBI and the Foundation's Path to Pro program, which, among other initiatives, provides free skilled trades training and certification to separating service members on or near 10 military bases, together with local Habitat affiliates around the bases. Path to Pro students will build new homes alongside future Habitat homeowners, receiving on-the-job training and making industry connections while helping to create more affordable housing in the military communities surrounding the 10 bases.
"Since 2011, The Home Depot Foundation has been instrumental in our efforts to serve those who have bravely served our country," said Julie Laird Davis, vice president of corporate and cause marketing partnerships at Habitat for Humanity International. "Their generosity will enable us to identify and help even more veterans whose homes are in critical need of repair, as well as provide opportunities for servicemembers transitioning from the military to utilize their skills and build affordable housing in their communities."

Team Depot to Complete Hundreds of Service Projects

The Home Depot Foundation and Team Depot, The Home Depot's associate volunteer force, also plans to complete hundreds of service projects in honor of Veterans Day across the country as part of the Foundation's annual Operation Surprise campaign. In partnership with national partners like Semper Fi & America's Fund, Operation Homefront and Team Rubicon, as well as local nonprofit organizations, each of these projects will benefit our nation's heroes and communities where Home Depot associates live and work.

"Team Depot has volunteered nearly 1.4 million hours in service to veterans since 2011," said Shannon Gerber, executive director of The Home Depot Foundation. "Our associates' dedication to serving their local communities is what allows the Foundation to make such a great impact nationwide. Through planting, building, painting, renovating and more, our orange-blooded family continues to show up for veterans in a big way."

The Home Depot Foundation is on a mission to make a difference in the lives and homes of veterans and has pledged to invest half of a billion dollars in veteran causes by 2025. Since 2011, The Home Depot Foundation has donated more than $400 million to support veteran causes and built or improved more than 50,000 veteran homes and facilities. Join the conversation using #OperationSurprise and follow along to see how the Foundation will serve veterans this season of giving.