Rock The Block – The Home Depot Foundation Event

Coming Together & Serving Veterans

I recently had the honor of taking part in The Home Depot Foundation’s “Rock the Block” event here in Atlanta. It was an amazing opportunity to give back to our community while serving veterans by sprucing up a neighborhood in the historic Westside area of town. Team Depot is The Home Depot’s associate-led volunteer force, and this event was part of their annual “Spring into Service” campaign. Alongside nonprofit partner HouseProud Atlanta, more than 200 volunteers were able to transform ten homes. We did so by adding benches, paint, gardens, fences, patio furniture, and other outdoor upgrades. This project helped support The Home Depot Foundation’s mission of improving the homes and lives of veterans across the country. It was also part of the foundation’s $14 million+ commitment by 2022 to revitalize Atlanta’s Westside community.

Teaming Up With New Friends

I had the privilege of working alongside my friend Yuni from Love Your Abode and her husband Jimmy, along with many new friends. Together we teamed up to improve curb appeal and enhance the outdoor space at Mr. and Mrs. J’s house. Mr. J is an army veteran, and I was thrilled to contribute by painting their fence. Our team also mulched and added a garden bed, patio furniture and flowers. Mr. and Mrs. J were thrilled with the outcome, and I was so grateful to be a part of such a fulfilling project.

It’s amazing what a big impact these little improvements can have. When we left at the end of the day, the neighborhood looked beautiful. It’s an adorable neighborhood already. But the curb appeal that Team Depot was able to add thanks to their volunteer force was such a nice enhancement.

Giving Back Matters

Aside from the experience of making Mr. and Mrs. J’s day a little brighter and yard a little more beautiful, the camaraderie of working toward the same goal as a team and making new friends was such a fun added bonus. I’ve always been passionate about the idea of using our skills to give back and do good whenever possible. I was thrilled to be able to put my DIY experience to good use while giving back to the community in such a beautiful way. Thank you to Team Depot for letting me be a part of this event!

The Home Depot Foundation

If you aren’t familiar with The Home Depot Foundation here is a little more information. They have transformed more than 40,000 homes and facilities for veterans across the country since 2011. Not only do they strive to support veteran causes, they also train skilled tradespeople to fill the labor gap, and support communities impacted by natural disasters. In fact, in 2018 the Foundation committed an additional $50 million to train 20,000 skilled tradespeople. This would take place over the next 10 years starting with separating military members and veterans. You can find out more about The Home Depot Foundation here, and you can connect with them on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

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