Thomas Pressley, Veteran of the Korean War, to receive renovations to his home in Washington, DC

STATESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES, September 18, 2018 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Purple Heart Homes (www.phhusa.org) is pleased to announce the inception of a project being undertaken in Northwest Washington, DC. The project, for which demolition has already begun, is anticipated to be completed in late September, and is being done on behalf of Thomas Pressley, a United States veteran who is nearly 90 years of age.

In 1951, Thomas was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Korean War. The South Carolina native completed Basic Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, before leaving for Korea. He served in the 75th Field Artillery Battery C and earned a Korean Service Medal with two Bronze Stars during active duty, earning the rank of Private First Class before being honorably discharged in 1953.

Thomas returned to the United States and made Washington, DC his new home during the transition back to civilian life, taking on a janitorial career at the Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. As an elderly veteran, he tries his best to live safely and comfortably in his home, which he shares with his nephew. However, the home has deteriorated over the past several years, and extensive damaged caused by termites has compromised the quality of the floors throughout the house, which continues to become more hazardous with time.

Purple Heart Homes is leading the project to provide renovations throughout the entire house to restore a sense of refuge and eliminate any sense of burden or danger. The renovation will be done in collaboration with Thomas, his nephew, The Home Depot Foundation, and others. The organizations, along with Seven Days for The Troops, will also work together to obtain funding and volunteers to work at the project. When asked about what this intervention from Purple Heart Homes means to him, Thomas said, “The renovations made by Purple Heart Homes and their affiliates will give me total happiness, because the house will be like it’s new all over again.”

Over 50 percent of veterans 65 years of age and older live in homes built in the 1950’s and 1960’s that often are no longer suited to meet their needs because of their ages and disabilities, and in Thomas’ case, the disintegration of an older home. Purple Heart Homes was established in 2008 to help these and other veterans. John Gallina, CEO and Co-founder of Purple Heart Homes, is delighted that the organization is able to help Thomas, and grateful for the partnership of the collaborative groups. “Part of our mission at Purple Heart Homes is to provide housing solutions designed out of necessity that fit the specific needs of veterans of all ages and from all eras. Our Veterans Aging in Place (VAIP) Program is just one example of our dedication to help aging veterans grow old safely and comfortably in their own homes.” A Mission Complete Ceremony and dedication is planned for early October at Thomas’ and his nephew’s house to celebrate the completion of the renovations.

Please join Purple Heart Homes and its partners in thinking about the value that a safe and accessible home brings to our veterans, who have sacrificed so much for each of us. Please consider donating to Purple Heart Homes, volunteering for a project, or starting a Chapter in your community. There are so many more of these veterans who need our help. Visit www.phhusa.org to learn more about how you can help Purple Heart Homes in its mission to provide housing solutions for Service Connected Disabled and Aging Veterans.

About Purple Heart Homes
Purple Heart Homes is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded by Dale Beatty and John Gallina, two Iraq combat wounded veterans on a mission to provide housing solutions for Service Connected Disabled and Aging Veterans that are substantial in function, design and quality. Purple Heart Homes has two programs: Veterans Aging in Place (VAIP), which encompasses the Operation Veterans Home Renovation Project (OVHR), and The Veterans Home Ownership Program (VHOP). From building a ramp for wheelchair-bound veterans to providing home ownership opportunities to veterans with physical as well as invisible injuries, Purple Heart Homes’ programs are designed out of necessity and fit the specific needs of veterans of all ages and from all eras, helping them to live and age in place, in their own safe, accessible and sustainable homes. For more information, visit www.phhusa.org. Purple Heart Homes – Improving Veterans’ Lives One Home at a Time.

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Debra Kaufmann
Purple Heart Homes, Inc.
301.252.3582
email us here

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