Legionnaires help with transitional home renovations

Approximately 220 volunteers banded together to complete a day-long beautification project at a United States Veterans Initiative (U.S. VETS) transitional housing facility Sept. 16 in Washington, D.C. The working crew consisted of local Home Depot store associates, Legionnaires and marketing vendor partners from across the country.

Mark Walker, The American Legion's Veterans Employment & Education Division deputy director, volunteered during the event.

“The American Legion and Home Depot are our trusted partners. This will be the third time Home Depot has visited the area to facilitate community service projects,” said Clifton Lewis, U.S. VETS executive director.

Since the facility opened in a quiet, quaint neighborhood in Southeast D.C. in 2015, hundreds of displaced veterans have called the site home. “We like to make this space feel as homey as we can so the veterans feel comfortable and safe, allowing them to do what they need to do to get themselves back out into the community,” said Stephen Peck, president of U.S. VETS.

The day’s tasks included new plants and seeding around the campus, outdoor area hardscaping, a fresh coat of paint on accent walls inside and outside the building, and the installation of shelves and bookcases in each individual unit. Lewis said the overall mission was to transform the facility into a space the residents could enjoy and positively impact the well-being of the veterans that reside there.

“I don’t have the words to describe what this means to us,” Lewis said. “If we didn’t have Home Depot, we would not be able to offer these renovations.”

Abraham Thompson, an Army veteran, said living in the facility is a very rewarding experience. The Detroit native moved to the area recently to seek help from U.S. VETS. Battling a wide range of medical issues, including liver cancer and carcinoid tumors, has been no easy feat for Thompson. “Here I have an opportunity to concentrate on living rather than worrying about anything else,” he said. “This community service project really means something to me – it lets me know that people really care.”