Americas wounded, struggling veterans get brand-new homes built by Florida teens

America’s youth is giving back to America’s heroes.The national nonprofit Building Homes for Heroes (BHH) builds, modifies and gifts mortgage-free homes to injured veterans, first responders and Gold Star families (who have lost a US military service member while he or she was serving).The New York-based organization has recently teamed up with local high-school students from The Villages Charter School (TVCS) Construction Management Academy in Florida.In May, BHH unveiled two new homes to veterans in Lake Panasoffkee, Florida, gifted to US Army Specialist Rajae Jones and US Army Sergeant James Tabares and their families.The homes were built from the ground up by TVCS students in partnership with BHH, requiring them to perform hands-on work, learn a new trade and give back to their community.Kim Vesey, president and general counsel of BHH President, reflected on the recent projects and partnership with TVCS.“It’s a really phenomenal program, and we’re so lucky to have been able to partner with them,” she said in an interview with Fox News Digital.Together, the organization and student program have built several houses for veterans, starting in 2024 with a family who had been “really struggling,” Vesey said.The family had reportedly lived in transitional housing while the husband struggled with a military injury and PTSD, which made it difficult to keep a job.“They just found themselves in this cycle of endless struggle,” Vesey said.“They had two young boys, and they were really trying so hard.”The family was gifted the first home built by TVCS students and BHH.

Now, both sons work at the school, and the veteran runs a program at the School of Autism.“I really can’t say enough great things about the opportunity that the school is giving to these students,” Vesey said.“The hands-on ability to not just go into a classroom and learn a trade, but to also give back to their community at the same time and to change people’s lives ...