Veterans Build Week of Service
With November designated as National Veterans and Military Families Month, Habitat for Humanity of Hillsborough County is serving those who have served during its Veterans Build Week of Service. Held during the week leading up to Veterans Day (Nov. 5-11), the annual event focuses on homeownership and home preservation projects for veterans and their families in Hillsborough County.
“We provide support for veterans throughout the year, but it’s special that we can rally together with community partners and volunteers to show gratitude during this event and spotlight these veterans’ journeys to homeownership,” said Tina Forcier, CEO at Habitat for Humanity of Hillsborough County.
Volunteers will complete five home preservation projects throughout the week, ranging from painting to landscaping, and wrap up final stages on two new construction homes for veteran homeowners with low to moderate incomes. Habitat Hillsborough will also spotlight affordable homeownership opportunities and services offered through its Veterans Initiative program.
Nearly 98,000 veterans call Hillsborough County home, according to county data. Through the Week of Service, Habitat Hillsborough plans to bring awareness to the challenges many veterans face in obtaining decent and stable shelter. Like many areas across the nation, Hillsborough County is grappling with a lack of accessible and affordable housing – residents are considered “cost-burdened” if they spend more than 30% of their total income on housing costs. More than 200,000 households (41%) in Hillsborough County are paying more than 30% of their income for housing while over 100,000 households are paying in excess of 50% of their income in housing costs..
Today is the official start of our Veterans Build Week of Service. And we begin painting and landscaping the home of Hector Rodriguez, a U.S. Army Veteran who served between 1960 and 1968. Honor Partner Sponsor CAE and MacDill Air Force Base volunteers will perform cleanup and demolition support as well as painting and landscaping to help Hector prepare for the completion of his new roof. The Home Depot Foundation Critical Repair Program is funding the roof replacement work.
Fun things about Hector: He would always, rather be fishing. He has 3 children, 7 grandchildren, and 3 great grandchildren with his lovely wife Gilda.
Read more about the Benton Family’s bio here:
