Home Depot Foundation, VFW Renovate Home Of Menifee Veteran

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA -- On Thursday, Nov. 11 -- Veterans Day -- The Home Depot Foundation partnered with VFW Post 2266 to perform a series of outdoor projects for a local Army veteran named Corey Mann.

Team Depot, which is The Home Depot’s associate volunteer force, worked alongside VFW Post 2266 to complete the project, following CDC and government safety guidelines.

As part of The Home Depot Foundation’s national Operation Surprise campaign, local Team Depot volunteers overhauled the landscaping, drainage and irrigation systems at Mann's Menifee home. Additionally, volunteers transformed a shed into a backyard art studio and installed a fire pit for Mann to enjoy with his daughter.

More than 20 community volunteers participated in the project, which is part of The Home Depot Foundation’s Operation Surprise campaign, an annual celebration of The Home Depot’s commitment to giving back. The Foundation’s seasonal giving campaign, kicking off on Veterans Day and running through the end of the year, features life-changing surprises for communities and individual recipients. In addition, each Home Depot store nationwide will give back locally and support projects in the community where they operate.

“Corey and his daughter deserve a beautiful outdoor space where they can relax and spend time together,” Team Depot lead Sourin Vanhnarath said. “We are honored to team up with VFW Post 2266 to give Corey the home landscaping he deserves in gratitude for his service to this country.”

More than 35,000 of The Home Depot's associates are veterans or military spouses, according to the company. Over the past 10 years, The Home Depot Foundation has helped renovate and enhance more than 50,000 veteran homes and facilities.

Volunteer projects at the Mann home in Menifee included:

• Installing low-maintenance landscaping, drip irrigation and a new drainage system
• Building a 65-foot retaining wall to further assist with drainage
• Constructing a fire pit for Mann to enjoy with his daughter
• Converting a Tuff Shed into an art studio for Corey to express his creativity and decompress
• Beautifying the lawn with raised planter beds and new trees