According to a press release, Homes for Our Troops, a non-profit organization based in Massachusetts, announced Monday that it had completed its latest project a home for SGT Eric Edmundson and his family.
Edmundson was severely injured while serving in Iraq as a member of the United States Army. He received shrapnel wounds to his right leg and abdomen, causing him to have to have his spleen removed. He also received fractures to his T4 and T5 vertebrae and the fibula head of his right leg. Edmundson later went into cardiac arrest and suffered a brain injury due to lack of oxygen to his brain.
Edmundson’s home is one of five projects the organization has done in North Carolina.
Soldiers like Edmundson that were severely injured while serving our country inspired John Gonsalves, the founder of Homes for Our Troops to take action. After he heard about a soldier like Edmundson, Gonsalves reportedly wondered what would happen to the soldier when he returned home. After searching for an organization he could donate his time and building expertise to that helped build and modify homes for injured soldiers, Gonsalves was stunned to find that there were not any in existence at that time. The lack of support motivated him to start the Homes for Our Troops organization.
The organization helps soldiers by coordinating donations of land, money, and manpower from individuals and corporations alike to build or modify homes for severely injured soldiers. Many of these soldiers return to the states to find that their current home is unsuitable for them due to lack of handicapped access. The cost of adaptive items such as wheelchair lifts, ramps, and other specialty equipment can place quite a burden on these soldiers and their families. Homes for Our Troops offers their services to severely injured soldiers completely free of charge.
Edmundson’s home is the 14th project completed by the organization. The organization currently has 16 home building / adaption projects in the works. Homes for our Troops is currently involved in or has completed projects in 18 states; the organization hopes that with increased community support they will be able to extend their efforts to every state in the United States. They are currently looking for volunteers to hold fund raisers, provide manpower for building projects, and get the word out about the organization by posting flyers and sending e-cards from the organization to their friends.
For more information about Homes for Our Troops visit the following link: www.homesforourtroops.org
