INDIANAPOLIS — The organization Helping Veterans and Families is rebuilding after its housing for homeless veterans was severely damaged in a fire, but they will not have to recover on their own.
Assistance for the organization has poured in since the apartment complex on Pennsylvania Avenue and 10th Street burned on October 26. Home Depot workers volunteered to fix up another HVAF property on Indy's west side, while the Indiana Pacers and Laborers' Union Local 120 raised money for HVAF in recent days.
"It was not our first or last donation," said Chris Brickey of Laborers' Union Local 120, which dropped off supplies and a $2,000 check for HVAF Wednesday afternoon. "We're just going to keep on giving until it runs out or until they tell me to stop."
"The loss is tragic and it hits home with all of us," said Matt Rice of Home Depot. "The fact that we can help in other locations and keep them supported means a lot to us."
The help is supporting veterans such as Lance Patterson, who ended up homeless last summer after he could no longer work at a warehouse.
"With the loss of that job, I found myself unable to make rent," Patterson said. "Three months in, it was a done deal, it was a wrap. Sometimes you can find a couch to sleep on, but things aren't always in your favor."
Patterson got back on his feet thanks to the housing the Home Depot employees worked on.
"Hopefully within the next couple of weeks, I should be about to transition out of here," Patterson said. "It feels good. This is the break I needed."
HVAF CEO Emmy Hildebrand hopes Hoosiers continue to help her organization find a break from the fire's devastation.
"It's been a struggle," Hildebrand said. "It's been a very long ten days, but our veterans are resilient and our staff is resilient."
Hildebrand said the apartments will take at least a year to repair.
"It's easy to get distracted with everything else happening in the world, but I would ask people to stay with us because we need your support," Hildebrand said.
