Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County’s Veterans Build event helped revitalize 10 homes for local veterans and their families in Palm Beach County. The initiative, presented by Vertical Bridge and the City of Boynton Beach, featured 40 veterans who installed new mailboxes, spread mulch, landscaped, and assisted with other repairs and cleanup for the homes. Five of the houses belonged to families of veterans, including WWII veteran William Barton and Staff Sergeant Larry McGrady, a retired U.S. Air Force veteran with 20 years of service.

The presenting sponsor, Vertical Bridge, had a team of a dozen volunteers on-site. In addition, several employees from the city of Boynton Beach, including City Manager Daniel Dugger, Assistant City Manager Adam Temple, and Boynton Beach City Commissioner Thomas Turkin, participated in the neighborhood transformation.

“Homeownership can profoundly impact lives – it is the American dream. Facilitating this dream can profoundly impact lives too. Bringing together citizens, veterans, and business leaders to improve the homes of war heroes, seniors and families is profoundly impactful,” Ron Bizick says, president of Vertical Bridge. “That is why Vertical Bridge continues to support Habitat for Humanity through our employee-driven and employee-managed Vertical Bridge Charitable Network. Because of the employees of Vertical Bridge, the VBCN can present Habitat for Humanity of South Palm County a gift of $100,000 to continue to impact the lives of so many of our neighbors.”

Additional funding to make the event possible was provided by The Home Depot Foundation and FPL. The event was organized by Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County in collaboration with the City of Boynton Beach’s City Manager, City Commissioners, and its Departments of Economic Development & Strategy, Police Services, Community Standards, Parks & Recreation, and Building.