A sincere congratulations to John Gonsalves, founder of Homes for Our Troops. This amazing group is celebrating their 5th anniversay today. I have had the pleasure of meeting John and his family on a few occassions and he is a personal hero of mine. What he has accomplished in these past five years is nothing short of inspirational.
From a Someone You Should Know from April, 2007,
In 2004, after watching a news report of a severely injured service member who had returned from Iraq, John Gonsalves thought to himself, “what now, what happens to this person nowâ€. He searched for an organization that he assumed was already in place where he could donate his building expertise for a few weeks. When he found out that none existed, he quit his contractor job and started Homes for Our Troops.
Homes for Our Troops builds specially adapted homes for our most severely injured service members. To date, they have built thirty homes, and have pledged to build another thirty.
Homes for Our Troops has plans to build another 35 homes for our wounded warriors in 2009 alone. What an amazing group.
Dear Friend,
Today marks a true milestone in our history. It was five years ago today that Homes for Our Troops was incorporated. For me it has been a truly incredible journey.
I have been honored to have traveled across the country and see thousands of my fellow Americans come out to our projects and give back to the next greatest generation. It has been humbling to share laughter and tears with so many military families who have sacrificed so much. Their stories of dedication to country and the long road to recovery are remarkable to say the least.
To date we have helped more than three dozen families from Massachusetts to California. Our past accomplishments are the result of you – our generous supporters. We could not have done this without your generosity and compassion.
Although the economic future for many Americans is uncertain, your support for our mission remains strong. Because of this we have been introducing many more military families to the compassionate spirit of the American people. Through your generosity we have been able to make our biggest commitment to date. In 2009 we have put a plan in place to take on 35 more home building projects. It is our hope that we will continue to inspire people of all ages and backgrounds to support our mission.
I recently attended a groundbreaking ceremony for Corporal Visnu Gonzales in New Jersey. In attendance was a high school student named Kristin Kosch from the Mahwah High School who got her whole school district involved in a fundraiser for Homes for Our Troops that raised $22,000. It is people like her and all of you that have allowed Homes for Our Troops to make a difference to so many injured service members.
I wish that every American could experience the emotions I feel when we turn over the keys to a specially adapted home to someone like Matt Keil, who was shot by a sniper and is now a quadriplegic. To see him wheel through his home with no barriers in his way. To watch him be able to use technology like the voice activated controls that control his heat, lights, doors and the audio and video components that for most of us are effortless. To see him smile.
Thank you everyone for believing in us and for helping us. But most of all thank you for supporting the greatest volunteers in the world. The men and women of the United States military.
With warmest regards,
John Gonsalves
Congratulations John!
Massachusetts is blessed with some great charities focused on the needs of veterans of the war on terror. Dylan DeSilva’s Cape Cod Cares for Our Troops and Dick Moody’s Operation Troop Support are two other local charities that we recommend 100%. If you are ever looking for a way to give back to the brave men and women serving us in the military, you cannot go wrong with any of these great local organizations. Also, don’t forget Soldiers Angels, a great national organization.