Houston, TX (January 7, 2010)… Larry Archer, Homes for Our Troops Build Brigade Construction Manager will kick-off a three-day Build Brigade January 7th at 8:30 AM at 14010 Lake Tahoe Court in Houston, TX. The Build Brigade for Anthony Thompson will take place January 7-9, 2010 and volunteer professional framers are needed.
Naval Petty Officer Anthony Thompson was on his second deployment to Iraq with the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines Fox Company 3rd Platoon near Fallujah, when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive under an overpass where Thompson and his Marines had taken up post on April 20, 2007. During recovery efforts Anthony was found unresponsive on a pile of concrete rubble.
After being transported to three separate Battalion Aid Stations, Petty Officer Thompson was finally stabilized for transport to Landstuhl, Germany. As a result of the blast he suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury, an incomplete spinal cord injury and a punctured right lung. Anthony Thompson is now at the Kessler Rehabilitation Center in New Jersey that specializes in spinal cord and brain injuries.
Before his traumatic experience, Anthony enjoyed playing and watching football and baseball, bowling, going to the movies, and listening to music. His son, AJ, was born after his injuries. His wife, Ivonne believes that Anthony knows the support that surrounds them. She says that having a home that the family can come home to together will be a dream come true. (See: http://www.homesforourtroops.org/
A Homes for Our Troops Build Brigade is a three-day construction blitz when professional tradespeople volunteer their time, skills and materials to get the house framed, install doors, windows, roof to make it weather tight.
Homes for Our Troops has partnered with General Contractors John and Brian Lavezzari from GMB Inc. to build and complete the specially adapted home for Naval Petty Officer Anthony Thompson.
Homes for Our Troops has completed 50 specially adapted homes since its inception in 2004. It has 33 homes in various stages of construction throughout the United States. It takes about six months to complete a home once ground has been broken to the presentation of the keys to the veteran. The average cost of each home is about $275,000. These homes are presented at no cost to severely injured veterans thanks to generous support from corporate sponsors, professional tradespeople, foundation grants and community minded volunteers.
About Homes for Our Troops:
Homes for Our Troops is a national non-profit 501(c) 3 organization based in
Taunton, MA founded by John Gonsalves in 2004 (see: www.homesforourtroops.org)
Homes for Our Troops mission is to build specially adapted homes for severely
Injured veterans who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan. All specially
adapted homes are built at no cost to the veteran thanks to donations from
thousands of individuals, foundation grants, corporate sponsors, professional
trades people and generous support from countless volunteers.
Homes for Our Troops is proud to be listed in the American Institute of
Philanthropy’
It has received a Four Star Rating from Charity Navigator. Homes for Our Troops
is a member of the National Association of Home Builders and the US Green
Building Council.
