Several veterans from various community veterans groups came out during the past couple of months to help build a Habitat for Humanity home for an Afghanistan veteran who served with the Army. This veteran wanted to have a home for his wife and three children, and working with the local Habitat for Humanity group, he chose Cherokee County for the site to have his house built.

Over the past several months veterans from the Cherokee County Homeless Veterans Program (CCHVP), VETBuds, American Legion Post 45, and John's Creek Veterans Club have provided financial and sweat equity into making this house a reality. On Dec. 19, the house was finally presented to the family in a dedication ceremony that was attended by these veteran groups.

We are not done with this project, as our program will be looking to help build out additional fencing for the house. We have also just sourced much of the furniture the family needs to move in, stated Jim Lindenmayer, Post 45 service officer and executive director for CCHVP. Additionally, since the veteran is currently 100% SC disabled, our team, working with the Georgia Department of Veteran Services, will continue to help this veteran file for SSDI so he maximizes his benefits owed him for his service to our country.

CCHVP has worked with HFH for over eight years and has conducted joint home repair programs for Vietnam, Desert Storm, and Afghanistan veterans using grants from the Home Depot Foundation, Gary Sinise Foundation and other sources of grants. At no time does the veteran pay anything for the work for materials that make up the project. CCHVP has done over 80 projects working with other veterans in the community over the past 10 years.