WOUNDED WARRIORS PROGRAM
Dear Patriots,
The Homes for Wounded Warriors Program (HWWP) is an Indiana Based 501C that has one mission – provide new or remodeled MORTGAGE FREE, specially adapted homes for seriously wounded veterans. Since we officially started in 2011, we have provided over $350,000 in new construction and reconstructed homes. We are one of the few organizations in America that can proudly say that our operating expenses are less than 15% of our total revenue. We currently have no paid staff members and a high percentage of all labor is volunteer. Unlike other organizations that have salary expenses that average 30% of their revenue, all staff members of HWWP are volunteer. Other than contractors and vendors that are providing a “direct” support to an individual home build, there ARE ZERO paid members.
We are similar to Habitat for Humanity except that all our homes are provided “mortgage free”, are built to suit the family size, and are built with a high sense of durability and survivability. We want our veterans and their families to feel 100% at home so that they never want to leave. We also build one aspect of the home that focuses on a specific dream or hobby of the veteran in order to provide therapeutic assistance.
You can visit our website and some of the veterans stories at www.hwwp.org.
We are building in Fort Wayne, IN this year for a local hero by the name of Specialist Matthew Moeller and his family. Matthew was a combat engineer in the US Army and was seriously injured in Afghanistan by a road side bomb – Improvised Explosive Device (IED), is 100% disabled, and is unemployable. Besides the myriad of physical limitations and psychological obstacles, Matthew and his family are living in a very small, two story townhome that is not suitable for his physical injuries. Due to his back and knee problems, Matthew cannot move up and down the stairs and is forced to sleep on their loveseat every night. Matthew already suffers from massive Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Insomnia, Anxiety, and Depression, so this unsuitable sleeping arrangement results in Matthew only obtaining a few hours of sleep per night.
Financially, the Moeller family took an instant 60% pay reduction when discharged, but they still have the same expenses.
The combination of physical and psychological disabilities, financial hardship, and unsuitable living arrangements motivates HWWP to quickly provide suitable housing.
One of previous board members who is still an advisor, Russell Eaglin, is the Assistant Indiana State Veterans Affairs Officer. More exciting, the City of Indianapolis has agreed to assist us in building Indiana’s FIRST Wounded Warrior Transition Center in Indianapolis that would provide adequate, Handicap friendly, living spaces for up to four families. Each space will have multiple bedrooms, living area, and small kitchenette similar to an extended stay. Also included in the Center is a resource center, physical therapy room, pool, large kitchen area, and recreation area. This project will cost approximately $5 million to build but would allow families that are being separated WITHOUT suitable living arrangements a free home for up to six months.
As a pending Retired Marine Captain with 25 years total service who is also a wounded warrior and Purple Heart Recipient, I understand the obstacles faced with wounded warriors. The effects stimulated by the veterans’ disabilities can cause a lifetime of financial, emotional, and physical stress that cannot be described with words. The Homes for Wounded Warriors Program helps to provide these veterans and their families with a foundation of stability so that they may focus on rehabilitation and recovery instead of expenses and housing problems.
You and/or your organization and business can ALSO be a hero. HWWP is asking you to get involved and provide support. How can you help? HWWP understands that we all have busy lives and responsibilities, that’s why we provide multiple ways that you can assist:
-Provide “donations in kind” in the form of materials to support the construction of his home. (see materials list for examples)
-Provide “donations in kind” in the form of new or hand-made merchandise that can be raffled or sold at fundraisers or provided to the veteran (see merchandise list)
-Provide professional labor such as mason, plumbing, electrical, carpenter, siding, roofing, flooring, bath, kitchen, drywall, painting, landscaping design
-Provide basic labor such as cleaning, construction assistance/helper, painting, and landscaping
-Provide volunteer support such as providing and serving lunches to the volunteers and contractors for one week, conduct internal fundraisers, assist with HWWP fundraisers.
The next fundraiser will be on Saturday, March 29th, at the American Legion Post 241, 7605 Bluffton Rd, Fort Wayne, IN 46809. Besides silent auction items, live music, and free appetizers, all aspects of the build requirements will be auctioned off. For instance, if the foundation costs $3,000 to build, we will auction off the foundation and donors can bid on providing the financial requirements necessary to build the foundation. Donors can bid on the whole amount or in increments as small as $100. Our goal is to have ALL aspects of the home building paid for before the end of the auction. PARTICIPANTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE AUCTION BUT ARE NOT REQUIRED.
As I am sure that you have already contributed to other worthy organizations, this mission will provide a local hero who sacrificed himself so that we may live safely here at home. Please consider getting involved.
I can be reached at 585-730-3090 or marktrouerbach@yahoo.com.
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