The Homes for Heroes Foundation awarded Foothills Veterans Helping Veterans with a $5,000 grant to help local Veterans who have essential needs that are unmet or they are possibly homeless. Homes for Heroes, Inc. and the Homes for Heroes Foundation are honored to support Foothills Veterans Helping Veterans in their mission to assist North Carolina Veterans and their families.
The Foothills Veterans Helping Veterans mission
Why was Foothills Veterans Helping Veterans established?
The roots of Foothills Veterans Helping Veterans (FVHV) began in 2011, when Rev. Susan Smith was serving as the Assistant Director of Exodus Homes in Hickory, North Carolina. She gathered with a small group of dedicated individuals to tackle a growing need: better support for veterans in their community. They became the heart of the early effort, and were originally called Unifour Veterans Helping Veterans.
What started as weekly meetings at Grace House, a day shelter for people experiencing homelessness, quickly evolved into something much more. These gatherings brought Veterans eager to lend a hand, and non-veterans (called “allies”) together to assist fellow Veterans, especially those facing hardship or homelessness.
In 2012, the group organized their first major event. It was called the “Homeless Veterans Stand Down” at the Hickory American Legion. The Stand Down drew over 100 Veterans and became a turning point for the organization’s visibility and impact.
As the group’s work grew, people became more aware of their efforts. They rebranded as Foothills Veterans Helping Veterans (FVHV) and formalized their mission and vision.
In a meaningful move toward inclusivity, they renamed their flagship event the Foothills Veterans Stand Down. They removed the word “homeless” to ensure all Veterans felt welcomed and valued.
By 2019, the event had relocated to Catawba Valley Community College and attendance had tripled, with over 300 Veterans participating.
What does Foothills Veterans Helping Veterans do to help heroes?
Foothills Veterans Helping Veterans is a volunteer-driven nonprofit dedicated to supporting Veterans and their families in western North Carolina. Their mission is to see that no one who has served our country faces homelessness or has their needs unmet.
FVHV provides assistance in the following areas:
- Housing
- Healthcare
- Dental care
- Employment
- Education
- Veterans Treatment Court
They also host weekly meetings for Veterans and “Allies” to connect and share resources.
A cornerstone of FVHV’s outreach is the annual Foothills Veterans Stand Down event. This event offers Veterans access to essential services, including medical and dental care, clothing, meals, and camaraderie.
Veterans from Caldwell, Alexander, Ashe, Avery, Burke, Catawba, McDowell, Watauga, Wilkes, and surrounding counties are invited to attend the annual event.
Through partnerships with local organizations and community support, FVHV continues to empower Veterans and their families to achieve independence with dignity.
How will this grant be used to support heroes?
The Homes for Heroes Foundation is honored to support Foothills Veterans Helping Veterans with its mission to help local Veterans by awarding the FVHV with a $5,000 grant.
The grant was presented at the recent Stand Down event by Jay Flynn, Homes for Heroes Foundation Director, along with Homes for Heroes local Real Estate Specialist, Chris Gettys, and Mortgage Specialist, Ruth Shrader.
Watch the grant presentation video:
Homes for Heroes local Real Estate Specialist, Chris Gettys, and Mortgage Specialist, Ruth Shrader, nominated Foothills Veterans Helping Veterans to receive the $5,000 Homes for Heroes Foundation grant.
“We want to thank you so much for the money. As everyone I hope knows, we live on donations. We get no money from the government. That way, we’re able to help veterans every day of the year. So thank you again.” – Larry McMullen, Foothills Veterans Helping Veterans Board Member
The grant dollars will be used to help fund the services provided by the Foothills Veterans Helping Veterans to help local Veterans through homelessness, and to assure Veteran’s essential needs are being met.
How you can support the Foothills Veterans Helping Veterans’ mission
You can help support Foothills Veterans Helping Veterans’ mission by visiting their website and taking a look at all of the activities and volunteer opportunities available. To further support their efforts, please consider making a donation to help fund the support they provide to North Carolina Veterans and their families.
Foundation grants – Part of 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; including 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 who are facing a housing crisis or 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, simply sign up to be connected with our local specialists. They will follow up with you to answer all of your questions.
If you’re interested in learning about our wider impact, simply visit the Homes for Heroes Foundation for more information about recent grants to hero organizations, how much it has awarded, 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 the donation page to submit your contribution via PayPal. We thank you for your interest and support.
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