Pella, Iowa — Thirty events across the U.S. and Canada will
bring the building industry together in 2011, and during each event, Pella
Corp. will encourage attendees
to donate to help build homes for severely injured U.S. soldiers and
their families.
Pella selected the national, non-profit organization Homes for Our
Troops as its charitable partner for The Pro Expo Presented by Pella
program held in 30 U.S. and Canadian markets January through May 2011.
Pella is contributing money to help the Homes for Our Troops cause, and
is encouraging others to do so as well.
“Through The Pro Expo Presented by Pella events, we bring
together builders, remodelers, contractors, architects and students to
network, share ideas and earn accredited educational
credits,” said Jarred Roy, trade marketing manager at Pella
Corporation. “An important part of this event is providing
attendees with a meaningful charity to which they can donate. Homes for
Our Troops is a strong fit for Pella and our partners, given each of
our ties to the homebuilding industry.”
How
to help
Donations can be made through a secure online fundraising site at http://www.homesforourtroops.org/THEPROEXPO.
Or, to make a $10 donation (U.S. currency) to Homes for Our Troops,
text the word EXPO to 85944.
Non-profit
helps severely injured veterans
Since it was founded in 2004, Homes for Our Troops has assisted
severely injured veterans and their immediate families by raising
donations of money, building materials, and professional labor and
coordinates the process of building a specially-adapted home that
enables an injured veteran to live more independently. The homes
provided by Homes for Our Troops are given at no cost to the veterans.
“Many veterans are returning home from wars in Iraq or
Afghanistan with life-altering injuries sustained while defending the
United States overseas,” said John Gonsalves, president and
founder of Homes for Our Troops. “These American heroes need
specially-adapted homes that will allow them to regain their
independence and help them and their families rebuild their
lives.”
Injuries include the loss of one or more limbs, varying levels of
paralysis and traumatic brain injury. Some veterans also return with
blindness, deafness or severe burns. They may be confined to a
wheelchair or may need to utilize a wheelchair when they are unable to
walk on their prosthetics. Their homes are no longer a place of
comfort, but rather filled with barriers that make the simplest tasks
difficult, if not impossible, Gonsalves said.
Homes
designed for accessibility
Homes for Our Troops’ specially-adapted homes go beyond
Americans with Disabilities Act compliance. They typically feature
single-level, open floor plans, roll-in showers, roll-under cooktops
and sinks, and other standard accessibility items. Depending on the
severity of the injury suffered by the veteran, the homes may also
include specialized items like lift systems, keyless door entry and
voice activation controls.