With temperatures expected to get up to 90 degrees on Wednesday, Home Depot employees volunteering at the Crossley Veterans Community were working quickly on one side of the street so they could move across the street and out of the sun as the temperature climbed.
The volunteers were planting shrubs and perennials in front of each of the 26 homes, followed by mulching the gardens.
Kristin Hannibal, finance administrator of the Fort Hood Area Habitat for Humanity, said Habitat for Humanity reached out to Home Depot about helping with Veterans Community landscaping.
“They got vendors together to donate all of the shrubbery, flowers and mulch,” Hannibal said. “Nicole Harmon, team captain of the effort, put together the team of volunteers.”
Four of 26 homes are occupied and a number of applications are working through the process.
A female veteran who was a resident of the Salvation Army McLane Center of Hope is in the process of moving in right now, Hannibal said.
Christina Valentine, AmeriCorps Vista Veteran Outreach at Fort Hood Area Habitat for Humanity, is reaching out to area Veterans of Foreign Wars posts, American Legions, and other veterans organizations to provide information about the community.
Valentine also is visiting with groups on Fort Hood.
Hannibal said she appreciates being able to work on the housing project for veterans, particularly those who haven’t had the opportunity to purchase a home.
Different veterans groups will be coming out to the community periodically and setting up shop in the community center in order to provide services to the veteran residents, including financial literacy classes, Valentine said.
One of Home Depot’s core values is giving back to the community and especially veterans, Harman said.
“This is very humbling experience to be working on a project that will mean so much to the people who will live here,” she said.
The Crossley Veterans Community is located on Honor Lane just off East Avenue N in Temple, behind Wayman Manor Apartments. The community is made up of 13 duplexes and a community center once complete.
Qualified veterans may purchase half of a duplex.
Single veteran households with minimum income of $1,033 and a maximum income of $2,065 and debt no larger than 40 percent of income are eligible to apply for one of the homes. Monthly payments will be $450 a month, which includes homeowners’ association fee, which will pay for upkeep of lawns and the community center.
How to apply:
To begin the application process to live at the Lee Crossley Veterans Community in Temple, contact:
In Belton–Temple, contact LVR Management, 3144 S. Fifth St, Temple 254-771-2228; jackie@lvrmgt.com or Tasha@lvrmgt.com.
In Copperas Cove-Nolanville, contact FHA Habitat for Humanity, 2601 Atkinson, Killeen, 254-680-4007; serve@fhahfh.org.
—— TEMPLE DAILY NEWS