Last Updated on November 7, 2024 by Luke Feldbrugge
The Homes for Heroes Foundation awarded Chester County Hero Fund a $5,000 grant to help the organization provide a $5,000 death benefit to our heroes, up to $10,000 for disability assistance, housing assistance for renovations, or hotel expenses so that a family can be close to the injured first responder if being treated at a medical facility a distance from their home.
Chester County Hero Fund Check Presentation with Jay Flynn
The grant check presentation interview was conducted by Homes for Heroes Foundation Director, Jay Flynn. Local Homes for Heroes Mortgage Specialist, Ken Pitts, joined Jay to interview Steven Plaugher, President of Chester County Hero Funds, Kevin Coyle, Downingtown Police Department, and Bill Messerschmidt, Hero Funds Board Member.
You can watch the full interview or read about it below.
Jay: Hi, and thanks for joining us today. I’m Jay Flynn, Director of the Homes for Heroes Foundation. I’m joined today by Chester County Hero Fund President, Steven Plaugher, Bill Messerschmidt, Chester County Hero Fund Board Member, and Kevin Coyle with the Downingtown Police Department. And Ken Pitts, our Homes for Heroes mortgage specialist. It’s my honor to be here with you guys today.
Steven and Bill, as part of the Homes for Heroes Circle of Giving, the Homes for Heroes Foundation provides grants to nonprofits whose mission is to help our heroes in dire need. Ken and I are so honored to present this $5,000 Homes for Heroes Foundation grant check to the Chester County Hero Fund. Congratulations guys!
Steven and Bill: Thank you very much. Appreciate it.
Absolutely. It’s our honor for sure. So if you don’t mind, let’s take a few minutes to talk about Chester County Hero Fund and all the great stuff you do. Steve, tell me a little bit about how Chester County Hero Fund came to be, how long you have been around, and how you serve our heroes?
Steven: Sure, Jay. Absolutely. It’s my pleasure to tell everyone about the Chester County Hero Fund. We were established way back in 2001, so we’ve been around over 20 years. Our mission is to support our Chester County first responders, which is our law enforcement, fire and EMS. We also help some of our veterans, in addition to first responders.
Over the years, we’ve been able to provide financial aid to first responders who are injured or disabled in the line of duty, to help with finances and expenses not covered by insurance. And also, unfortunately, we have a line of duty death where we’re able to provide a death benefit to the survivors.
All the funding comes through fundraising. We’ve been doing that since the beginning in 2001. And the community has been very supportive, realizing how important first responders are, to everyone living here. So we get a great amount of support from our residents and business owners.
We currently have a board of approximately 14 members; including the heads of all the first responder organizations, plus at-large trustees from the general community. So we have all areas covered and what we have become over the past 20 plus years, and we’re still rolling.
Jay: That’s awesome. So Ken, I know you’re a big supporter of your local heroes as a Homes for Heroes mortgage specialist. You’re out there in the community. Why does this group mean so much to you?
Ken: So, I first need to mention two people who are not here. Kim Sheehan, who’s with Springer Realty. Kim actually connected us, and Homes for Heroes with the Chester County Hero Fund. We were looking for an organization that we could help with some fundraising, and Kim helped us with that. She’s the one who found the Chester County Hero Fund.
And I’m also going to give a shout out to my son, Jake, because he did their website when we met with the past President, Jim Vito. We asked my son to look at the website, and he said, “I think I could make improvements to it.” He was in college at the time and volunteered some of his time to help with the website. So thank Kim and Jake, for what they’ve done and for the last few years.
You know, after learning about the Chester County Hero Fund, we’ve done a few fundraisers. And quite frankly, these folks in our first responder community, if there’s an emergency they’re running towards it when everybody else is running away. And I think that’s the reason why we have the heart for this organization and want to help them.
Jay: That’s awesome. I see behind you guys an FOP seal. Homes for Heroes is a partner with FOP and we’re honored to support you guys.
Steve and Bill, how do you guys plan to use the $5,000 grant to support firefighters, EMS, and law enforcement first responders?
Steven: Well, Jay, that $5,000 is so important to our organization. At any moment, a first responder, whether it’s law enforcement, fire or EMS, could be injured or worse, killed in the line of duty. So we need to be at the ready to provide financial support. So having that money available in our fund account, means a lot.
And 100% of this donation goes toward the Hero Fund. We don’t have any employees. We’re all volunteers. There’s no office expenses. So 100% goes into the fund, and that’s where it’ll stay until it is needed. That’s the important thing. We really can’t provide these benefits without resources like these. That’s how important that $5,000 is to the Chester County Hero Fund.
Jay: That’s awesome. So, Kevin, thank you for taking time to join us today. We just heard Steve talk about how the grant funds are going to be used. I understand the Chester County Hero Fund actually made an impact in your life. Please tell us a little bit about that.
Kevin: In September of 2020 I was in pretty much the best shape of my life, and I had a heart attack. I went to work that morning, had a heart attack and required surgery. Thereafter, when short-term disability ran out, the Hero Fund kicked in and assisted with expenses until I was back to full duty.
Jay: Wow. So they really stepped up at a time when you needed the help?
Kevin: Absolutely. It was an unbelievable benefit to myself and my family, and extremely appreciated.
Jay: Wow. That’s awesome. So Steve, where can folks go if they want to find out more information or get involved in your mission?
Steven: Sure. The easiest thing would be to go to our website. All the information is on our website. It has a list of our officers, and all of our contact information. And, if someone wants to make a donation, they can make it online on our website. If they want to pay by check, there are instructions on how to donate by check as well. So, I think all the information is there that they would need. My contact information is on there as well if someone wants to reach out to me personally by email or by phone.
Jay: Wow. That’s awesome. You guys are doing great work there in the community, supporting our heroes in need. You know, we just heard how you made such an impact in Kevin and his family’s life. So, thank you for all you do.
All: Absolutely. Thank you so much.
Jay: Thanks for taking time to join me, and for everything that you’re doing out there and the hero community. Chester County Hero Fund. What a great mission of service you guys have.
I hope everybody has a great rest of your day. Remember, just take a moment out of your day when you see a hero and tell them, thank you. Thanks guys.
Homes for Heroes Circle of Giving
Grants from the Homes for Heroes Foundation are made possible by the Homes for Heroes Circle of Giving and its network of real estate and mortgage professionals. Homes for Heroes, Inc. is committed to providing savings to community heroes; such as firefighters, EMS, law enforcement, military (active duty, reserves and veterans), healthcare professionals and teachers.
To expand its Circle of Giving, Homes for Heroes, Inc., donates a portion of its earnings to the Homes for Heroes Foundation. So, every time a hero buys or sells a home using the Homes for Heroes program, they are helping other heroes across the country facing a housing crisis or who are in need of urgent financial assistance.
If you are interested in learning more about how Homes for Heroes can guide you through the home buying, selling or refinancing process AND save you an average of $3,000 after closing on a home with one of their local specialists, simply sign up to speak with a member of the team. They will follow up with you to answer all of your questions. When you tell them you’re feeling ready to speak with their local specialists in your area about home buying, selling, or refinancing your mortgage, they will connect you with their local specialists to begin the process.
Simply visit the Homes for Heroes Foundation page if you’re interested in learning more about where it has awarded recent grants to hero organizations throughout the country, how much they’ve awarded to date, and how it all works.
If you’re interested in supporting and donating to the Homes for Heroes Foundation to assist heroes in need, please visit their donation page to submit your contribution via PayPal. And, thank you for your interest and support.
