The Home Depot Foundation is investing $9 million to provide housing solutions for over 3,400 veterans battling homelessness. This funding will support the construction of more than 300 new housing units and the repair of nearly 200 additional units, bringing much-needed stability and comfort to veterans across the nation.

Over the past decade, the number of homeless veterans has decreased by 55%, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. However, last year, that number began to rise again, with an average of 35,000 veterans experiencing homelessness on any given night. The Home Depot Foundation's grants will play a pivotal role in countering this challenge by creating new housing units through collaborations with national nonprofit partners including Volunteers of America, Housing Assistance Council and Tunnel to Towers, as well as local nonprofits in Georgia, Ohio and Massachusetts.

"We are deeply committed to ensuring that our nation's heroes have a safe and comfortable place to call home," said Erin Izen, executive director of The Home Depot Foundation. "Our investment is not just about building structures; it's about building hope and providing the security that every veteran deserves."

In partnership with other nonprofits like Community Solutions, these grants will also facilitate the process of finding and securing existing housing for an additional 3,000 homeless veterans. An integral part of this initiative includes funding for landlord incentive programs, which are crucial in overcoming the barriers faced by at-risk and homeless veterans in finding sustainable housing. Over the past year, the Foundation's pilot landlord incentive programs with U.S. VETS and Volunteers of America have seen promising success in Los Angeles, Honolulu and Chicago. In April, the Foundation launched the LOVE (Landlord, Organizations, and Veterans Engagement) Fund in Atlanta, a dedicated resource aimed at assisting veterans who are housing insecure or transitioning from homelessness. Under the direction of the National Coalition of Homeless Veterans and Open Doors Atlanta, this fund empowers local nonprofits to work directly with landlords, addressing challenges such as poor credit history or past evictions that often prevent veterans from obtaining housing.

"We are honored to partner with The Home Depot Foundation in this transformative endeavor," said Matt Hurd, executive director of Open Doors Atlanta. "Their unwavering support and generous funding are instrumental in our mission to ensure every veteran and individual in the city of Atlanta has a place to call home."

Beyond immediate housing solutions, the Foundation's funding will also support essential research, studies and training on aging, rural, low-income and disabled veterans, as well as housing trends and specific housing needs through the Housing Assistance Council.