Last Updated on October 17, 2024 by Luke Feldbrugge
The Homes for Heroes Foundation awarded Heroes Wildlife Adventures a $5,000 grant to support an expansion of their programs. These programs assist first responders, military members and healthcare professionals by providing emergency financial needs such as covering utility bills, home and auto repairs.
Heroes Wildlife Adventures 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, Angie Turley, joined Jay to interview Otis Pugh, President of Heroes Wildlife Adventures.
You can watch the full interview or read about it below.
Jay: Hello, and thanks for joining us today. I’m Jay Flynn, Director of the Homes for Heroes Foundation. I’m joined today by Otis Pugh. He’s the President of Heroes Wildlife Adventures, and Angie Turley, Homes for Heroes Mortgage Specialist.
It’s our honor to be here with you today. Otis, as part of the Homes for Heroes Circle of Giving, the Homes for Heroes Foundation provides grants to nonprofits whose missions are to help our heroes in need.
Angie and I are honored to present this $5,000 Homes for Heroes Foundation grant check to Heroes Wildlife Adventures.
Otis: Thank you guys so much. We’re gonna help a lot of folks.
Jay: Awesome. Let’s take a few minutes to chat about the great work you are doing at Heroes Wildlife Adventures. Otis, I know you are hoping to expand your mission with this grant, but first tell us what Heroes Wildlife Adventures does for our heroes. You and I were chatting about that before we went live. I know you serve the military, law enforcement, EMS and fire, right? You’re touching a bunch of heroes. So, go ahead and take it away.
Otis: Thank you. We help veterans and first responders, and our big claim to fame is we help them to get service dogs or service dog training. We just had our 40th dog this year, for a veteran out of Martinsville, Indiana.
We do hunting, fishing, and beekeeping. My wife is a master gardener in Morgan county, Indiana. We have two giant greenhouses called high tunnels. They’re 30 ft wide by 70 ft long. So, we have the kids come over and help plant those, then we donate all the food to local pantries.
We also do an antelope hunt and an elk hunt in Wyoming as well.
Jay: That’s awesome. Angie, you’re a big supporter of heroes, and a mortgage specialist with Homes for Heroes.
Angie: I just celebrated my 10th anniversary.
Jay: I know, ten years. You nominated this group, so tell me why they mean so much to you?
Angie: Don’t make me cry. I met Dee and Otis a few years ago. At Fairway we have a nonprofit called American Warrior Initiative, and we do service dogs across the country for veterans. And, I wanted to do something more on a local level. So when I found Dee and Otis, I was like, oh my God, look at these angels on earth!
Literally, they took their own money, they have no staff, and they’re giving back their own time and money to local veterans. I was like, I’m doing something for them.
So we hosted a golf outing. They had no idea we were doing it. And, we were able to send their first kind of “seed money” to start a 501 C3 and give away their first service dog.
Otis: Yeah, I did 28 years in the Army, so we were just using the wife’s paycheck prior to that. We were doing the dogs and the hunts, and doing what we could to help out.
Angie: So yeah, I was like…who does that? You do not find good people like that. So over the past 3 years we have just expanded this thing. Every time they call me, I’m like, yes. Whatever and wherever I’m needed, I got you.
Jay: That’s awesome. Otis, I know you talked about it a little bit. We’re so happy that we’re able to help you out with this $5,000 grant. It’s intended to help you expand your services to the hero community. So tell us how these funds will be used to support our heroes.
Otis: These funds will allow us to help some veterans who are struggling to pay some bills, or need funds to help get their car fixed. We’ve helped with things like that in the past.
The other thing we plan to do is reach out to more veterans and let them know that we have this opportunity for them. We know the service dogs definitely help them. I have many examples where someone could only go to work one day a week. After providing them with a service dog, in one year’s time, they are working five days a week, 40 hour weeks. And this allows them to pay their bills. So, with this extra money, we’ll continue doing what we’re doing.
With those who are struggling a little bit, maybe we get them some budget counseling and pay some bills. Once we know they’ve done everything in their power, and they still need some help, we can assist them get across that line to the next level of life.
Jay: Wow, you know I always say it’s great to give somebody a hand up versus a handout, and it sounds like that’s exactly what you are doing.
Otis: It’s just been a blessing. We just keep doing what we’re doing, and it’s crazy how it has all taken off.
These dogs help them get back to work, back into society, and they can go shopping, or out to dinner with their families now. It’s a huge deal.
Jay: So if folks want to learn more, get involved in your mission, or make a donation, where can they go?
Otis: You can go to our website or follow us on Facebook. We update both of those sites regularly with pictures of where we’re going and what we’re doing.
Jay: So that’s awesome. You are doing such great things, and I’m so happy we’re able to help support such a great nonprofit that supports our heroes in need. Thank you for taking the time this afternoon, and thank you for everything you guys are doing for our heroes.
Angie: Thank you Homes for Heroes for all you do across the country and helping us with our mission.
Jay: For those tuning in, thank you for joining us to learn more about Heroes Wildlife Adventures and its mission of service.
If you see a hero out and about, be sure to say thank you.
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.
