Improving the lives of veterans in need with USAA

November 10, 2021
by Chris Perry, Vice President of Development at Rebuilding Together National

In commemoration of Veterans Day, we are thrilled to announce our 7th consecutive year of support from USAA.

Since 1922, USAA has proudly served the military community and their families, striving to lead and inspire actions that improve lives in the military and our local communities.

In 2020, faced with a new reality as the COVID-19 pandemic impacted nearly every aspect of life, USAA adapted to ever-changing conditions by increasing their impact in communities where they have a physical location with significant employee presence.

USAA has committed $200,000 in Rebuilding Together to support the Veterans at Home program. Veterans at Home provides no-cost preventative home modifications and repairs for veterans and their families to improve safety and accessibility, increase independence and facilitate aging-in-place.

Did you know there is a tremendous need for sustainable, safe and healthy housing for veterans in the United States? According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 18 million Americans are veterans and most are homeowners. Nearly 2.3 million veterans live in poverty or substandard housing, unable to afford essential home repairs or modifications.

With support from USAA, Rebuilding Together is working to provide essential home repairs and modifications for veteran homeowners and their families. Our work will include, but is not limited to:

  • Conducting safe and healthy home assessments to set priorities to correct hazards and improve mobility and accessibility.
  • Providing home modifications to accommodate functional limitations resulting from a disability, or to reduce the risk of falls related injuries and,
  • Providing home repairs to remedy home health and safety hazards or to correct code violations.

The funding will also be used to develop a series of online workshops training Rebuilding Together affiliates and volunteers to be active listeners—uplifting community voices; and build trust by promoting equity in their work with veterans of diverse racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.

At Rebuilding Together, we believe everyone should be given the opportunity to live in a safe and healthy home, especially our veterans and their families. So, today, and every day, we stand united in respect for our veterans and look forward to the impact we will make in communities across the country.