WHAT:
On Wednesday, May 18, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., The Home Depot Foundation and the
Osceola Council on Aging are teaming up to complete home repairs for a St. Cloud Veteran that will make his home safer, more accessible and more comfortable.
 
The Home Depot Foundation and the Osceola Council on Aging, with the support of Meals on
Wheels America, partnered to make several repairs and accessibility improvements to the home of Brian Sunderland, an Air Force veteran with four years of service, who had recently been
forced to sleep on his front porch, the only area of his home he was able to access due to a
fractured pelvis and mobility issues.

In addition to installing an ADA toilet and grab bars in the bathroom, replacing and repairing
flooring throughout the house, and building wheelchair-accessible ramps, the organizations
repaired the home’s roof, installed a new air conditioning unit, and added insulation in the attic. Eco-friendly products and energy-efficient building practices were intentionally used throughout the repairs to help lower utility bills, as well as enable Brian to move independently and safely throughout his home.

On May 18, Team Depot, The Home Depot’s associate volunteer force, will put the finishing
touches on Brian’s home, building a wheelchair ramp, painting, and landscaping around the
house.

The Home Depot Foundation and Meals on Wheels America, along with local programs like the Osceola Council on Aging, have together made critical home repairs and modifications that have helped over 1,900 veterans age comfortably in their homes. The Foundation recently announced a $2.3 million grant to Meals on Wheels America that will serve 275 senior veterans across the country.

Giving back to veterans is personal to The Home Depot, as more than 35,000 of the company’s
associates are veterans or military spouses. Since 2011, The Home Depot Foundation has
invested $400 million in veteran causes. Over the past 10 years, The Home Depot Foundation
has helped renovate and enhance more than 50,000 veteran homes and facilities, ensuring more of our nation’s heroes have a safe, comfortable place to call home that fits their individual needs.
  
Volunteer projects will include:

  • Finalizing repairs and renovations that will make the home more accessible
  • Building and installing a 15-foot wheelchair ramp
  • Painting the exterior of the home
  • Landscaping around the home

 

WHO:
Spokespeople available for interviews include:

  • Brian Sunderland, U.S. Air Force veteran
  • Stephen Grant, Team Depot Captain
  • Sean Vissar, The Home Depot Foundation
  • Wendy Ford, Osceola Council on Aging

WHERE:  

● 1114 Virginia Avenue, St. Cloud, FL 34769

DATE AND TIME:  

● Wednesday, May 18 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

 
CONTACT: For more information, please contact 

● Whitney Jones, The Home Depot Foundation, 404-395-9185
Or
● Kathy Pierson, onsite contact, 407-595-8099 or kathydpierson@gmail.com

About The Home Depot Foundation 
The Home Depot Foundation works to improve the homes and lives of U.S. veterans, train
skilled tradespeople to fill the labor gap and support communities impacted by natural disasters. Since 2011, the Foundation has invested more than $400 million in veteran causes and improved more than 50,000 veteran homes and facilities. The Foundation has pledged to invest half of a billion dollars in veteran causes by 2025 and $50 million in training the next generation of skilled tradespeople through the Path to Pro program. To learn more about The Home Depot Foundation visit HomeDepotFoundation.org and follow us on Twitter @HomeDepotFound
and on Facebook and Instagram @HomeDepotFoundation. 

The Osceola Council on Aging was created in 1971, and is the largest social services
organization in Osceola County, providing a wide array of services and programs to meet the
needs of our community. Though the name implies services for just the elderly, our scope of
services extends to families as well, helping during crisis to enable generations of residents to
cope with challenges. The Osceola Council on Aging, Inc. is a 501 (c) 3, non-profit, private
charitable organization dedicated to providing services to enable independence and self-
sufficiency for seniors, disabled adults, the disadvantaged and families in poverty.