Purple Heart Homes Welcomes 2019 with a Long List of Accomplishments Made in 2018

STATESVILLE, N.C., Jan. 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- When the untimely passing of 39-year-old Purple Heart Homes' (www.phhusa.org) Co-Founder and former Strategic Development Officer Dale Beatty occurred on February 12, 2018, the organization pledged to honor Dale's memory by building upon and expanding its mission to serve as many Service Connected Disabled and Aging Veterans as possible, ramping up its operations more than ever to help the people that Dale wished to help so fervently. Purple Heart Homes' continued commitment to providing quality housing to these veterans so that they can live and age safely and comfortably in their own homes serves as a tribute to Dale as well as to the millions of Service Connected Disabled and Aging Veterans living in the United States today. Purple Heart Homes is pleased to share some of its most vital accomplishments made in 2018.

In August 2018, Purple Heart Homes celebrated 10 years since its establishment. During this significant year, Purple Heart Homes experienced numerous accomplishments, including:

• 69 veteran projects were completed in 2018, for a total of 484 in the past 10 years. These projects were accomplished through Purple Heart Homes' programs Veterans Aging in Place (VAIP), including Operation Veteran Home Renovation (OVHR), and Veterans Home Ownership Program (VHOP).   
• Wounded Homecoming: The Uphill Journey of Wounded Veterans from Battlefield to Homefront, written by Dale Beatty and John Gallina, Co-Founder and current CEO, was published shortly after Dale's death. The book tells the story of John and Dale, their 22-year friendship, and how providing service to others became a critical aspect of their healing process and identities.
• Operation Veteran Home Renovation (OVHR), a subset of Purple Heart Homes' VAIP, continued its operations and in 2018, Credit Unions and National League of Cities in fifteen cities across the U.S. stepped up to assist with needed veteran home renovations.
• Purple Heart Homes partnered with The Home Depot Foundation, Housing Assistance Council, and National League of Cities to host the second annual Veterans Aging Summit in Indianapolis, IN.
• Purple Heart Homes joined forces with two other nonprofit organizations to construct the fourth home in the Lakehaven Estates Community of Denver, NC, for a veteran couple and their young daughter.
• In partnership with Think Broader Foundation and Wheelhouse Media, Purple Heart Homes' first Virtual Realty Empathy Experience became a reality thanks to financial support from Bank of America and the Arts & Science Council.
• Purple Heart Homes' partner, Bronze Star Homes, built 10 Dale Beatty Memorial Ramps and two modular additions in 2018.
• Hearts of Honor Club, Purple Heart Homes' monthly giving club, reached over 200 members in 2018.

More than 4 million Service Connected Disabled Veterans live in the United States today (U.S. Census Bureau, https://www.census.gov/newsroom/facts-for-features/2017/veterans-day.html), and over 50 percent of veterans 65 years of age and older live in homes built in the 1950's and 1960's that are often no longer suited to meet their needs because of their ages and disabilities. John Gallina, CEO and Co-founder of Purple Heart Homes, is pleased and proud of what Purple Heart Homes has accomplished in its' 10^th year, thanks to a strong and devoted staff, generous and committed partners, and other organizations that share Purple Heart Homes' passion to help Service Connected Disabled and Aging Veterans. "As Purple Heart Homes continues to grow and expand its reach and reputation, our hearts are warmed by the ever-increasing number of individuals, groups, volunteers, and organizations that have joined us in our efforts," said Gallina. "We are so grateful to everyone who has helped us in the past, to those who continue to work with us, and to those we know will join us in 2019 and beyond. On behalf of everyone at Purple Heart Homes, I look forward to all of us working together to continue this important work on behalf of the heroes who are our country's veterans."

Please join Purple Heart Homes and its partners in thinking about the value that a safe and accessible home brings to our veterans, who have sacrificed so much for each of us. Please consider donating to Purple Heart Homes, volunteering for a project, or starting a Chapter in your community. There are so many more of these veterans who need our help. Visit www.phhusa.org to learn more about how you can help Purple Heart Homes in its mission to provide housing solutions for Service Connected Disabled and Aging Veterans.   

About Purple Heart Homes
Purple Heart Homes is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded by Dale Beatty and John Gallina, two Iraq combat-wounded veterans on a mission to provide housing solutions for Service Connected Disabled and Aging Veterans that are substantial in function, design and quality. Purple Heart Homes has two programs: Veterans Aging in Place (VAIP), which encompasses the Operation Veterans Home Renovation Project (OVHR), and The Veterans Home Ownership Program (VHOP). From building a ramp for wheelchair-bound veterans to providing home ownership opportunities to veterans with physical as well as invisible injuries, Purple Heart Homes' programs are designed out of necessity and fit the specific needs of veterans of all ages and from all eras, helping them to live and age in place, in their own safe, accessible and sustainable homes. For more information, visit www.phhusa.org. Purple Heart Homes – Improving Veterans' Lives One Home at a Time.

CONTACT:     Debbie Kaufmann, Communications Manager, Purple Heart Homes: 301.252.3582; [email protected]

SOURCE Purple Heart Homes

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http://www.phhusa.org