LifePath Receives $25,000 Grant for Home Repairs for Aging Veterans

GREENFIELD — Meals on Wheels America announced that the Home Depot Foundation has committed $2.53 million to support expansion of Helping Homebound Heroes, a program that provides home repairs and modifications for aging veterans. This increase in funding will enable Helping Homebound Heroes to double its geographic reach, from eight to 16 markets across the country.

“We are thrilled to be participating in the Helping Homebound Heroes program, as the first such grant recipient in Massachusetts,” said Mark Devlin, Home Safety program director for LifePath in Greenfield, which received $25,000 from the program. “We are also honored to be expressly supporting our veteran neighbors by seeking to reduce risks, increase functional access, and improve their safety and satisfaction in aging at home. We want to thank both Meals on Wheels America and the Home Depot Foundation for supporting our Home Safety program through this $25,000 grant.”

Since the partnership began in 2015, the Home Depot Foundation has contributed more than $16 million and countless volunteer hours from Team Depot, the Home Depot’s associate volunteer force, to work alongside community-based Meals on Wheels programs on a wide range of home-repair projects, from converting showers and adding grab bars for bathroom accessibility to repairing railings and constructing wheelchair ramps.

“With more than 9 million veteran homeowners over the age of 55, there is a growing need for critical home repairs and modifications, which have proven positive effects on health and quality of life,” said Ellie Hollander, president and CEO of Meals on Wheels America. “Thanks to the Home Depot Foundation’s increased support, more Meals on Wheels programs are able to help military veterans live more safely and independently in the comfort of their homes. We are so grateful for the foundation’s long-standing commitment.”

Meals on Wheels America is now entering its ninth year of the Helping Homebound Heroes program and has served more than 2,000 veterans, with a continued goal to serve even more aging veterans nationwide. The Helping Homebound Heroes program is funded by the Home Depot Foundation as part of its mission to improve the homes and lives of U.S. veterans.