Association for Mental Health and Wellness Awarded $6,800 Grant

The Home Depot Foundation awarded the Association for Mental Health and Wellness a grant valued at $6,800 to make improvements to its home for Veterans who were formerly homeless. Funding will support the expansion of an outdoor patio area to allow for improved access for residents and visitors with mobility concerns. The improvements will include new outdoor dining and patio furniture sets and new shrub planting to enhance the setting and allow for greater enjoyment of the outdoors. This project will be completed by Team Depot volunteers from Selden and Coram, NY, Home Depot stores.

“This grant will allow for the Veterans living in this home to safely access the outdoor space and benefit from the time spent in nature. We owe our Veterans so much and we are grateful to The Home Depot Foundation’s partnership, so we can continue to enhance the properties to meet the needs and desires of those we are privileged to house,” said Colleen Merlo, Chief Executive Officer for MHAW.

About the Association for Mental Health and Wellness (MHAW)

The Association for Mental Health and Wellness, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation based in Ronkonkoma, NY, with the mission to empower and inspire people of all Suffolk County communities to identify, pursue and sustain healthy, meaningful lives. MHAW provides programs, services, and advocacy for people facing mental health challenges with an enhanced focus on serving Veterans. MHAW is committed to the core practice values of empowerment, hope, recovery, and cultural humility. All of the agency’s direct service workers are trained in the importance of addressing health from trauma-informed and whole-person perspectives with an enriched understanding of the social and economic conditions that contribute to physical and mental health and substance abuse. Central to our mission is the belief that mental health is just as important as physical health. As the local affiliate of Mental Health America (MHA) and the Mental Health Association in New York State (MHANYS), we drive evidence-based practices and care, and provide information, education and resources to the community and behavioral health workforce. Our goal is to ensure that policy makers, educational institutions, hospital and healthcare systems businesses and individuals across our region prioritize social and emotional wellness.

About The Home Depot Foundation

The Home Depot Foundation, the nonprofit arm of The Home Depot, works to improve the homes and lives of U.S. veterans, support communities impacted by natural disasters and train skilled tradespeople to fill the labor gap. Since 2011, the Foundation has invested more than $475 million in veteran causes and improved more than 55,000 veteran homes and facilities. The Foundation has pledged to invest half of a billion dollars in veteran causes by 2025 and $50 million in training the next generation of skilled tradespeople through the Path to Pro program.