CICOA Receives $25,000 to Repair Homes of Aging Veterans

Meals on Wheels America and The Home Depot Foundation team up to support Central Indiana’s seniors

CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions today announces that it has received a grant of $25,000 from Meals on Wheels America and The Home Depot Foundation through their joint initiative, Helping Homebound Heroes – a program that provides home repairs and modifications for aging veterans. The funding will support CICOA’s efforts to ensure that veteran clients have safe and accessible homes.

The modifications completed by CICOA’s Home Safety and Accessibility program enhance mobility, promote independence, and prevent falls for older adults and people with disabilities. Senior veterans can live in their homes longer and avoid possible institutionalization.

“We are pleased to be part of this generous grant. It will make a profound impact on our veteran neighbors, whose courageous service to our nation and people deserves our respect and gratitude,” said Tauhric Brown, CICOA President and CEO, who is also a veteran. “It is truly an honor to now help them live safely in their homes.”

In addition, The Home Depot Foundation provided training funds for the Home Safety and Accessibility staff. All six team members will participate in aging-in-place certification programs.

Since the partnership with Meals on Wheels America began in 2015, The Home Depot Foundation has contributed nearly $19 million and countless volunteer hours from Team Depot – The Home Depot’s associate volunteer force – to work alongside community-based Meals on Wheels programs on a wide range of home improvement projects, from converting showers and adding grab bars for bathroom accessibility, to repairing railings and constructing wheelchair ramps. Nine out of ten clients responding to follow up surveys reported that the home modification and repair services provided made them feel safer in their homes, and 99% reported that the services help them to continue living independently in their home.

“Aging veterans who have given so much to us and our country deserve the opportunity to live more safely and independently in the comfort of their own homes,” said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO, Meals on Wheels America. “We are extremely grateful for The Home Depot Foundation’s long-standing commitment that helps local Meals on Wheels programs like CICOA provide more than just a meal to those in need.”

Meals on Wheels America is now entering its tenth year of the Helping Homebound Heroes program and has served nearly 3,000 veterans, with a continued goal to serve even more aging veterans nationwide. This year the program is expanding to 19 Meals on Wheels organizations in 13 states across the country.

ABOUT CICOA AGING CICOA & IN-HOME SOLUTIONS

CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions is a nationally accredited nonprofit empowering older adults, people with disabilities and family caregivers in Central Indiana with innovative answers, services and support. Celebrating its 50th anniversary as a state-designated Area Agency on Aging, CICOA helps people maximize their independence in home- and community-based settings in better health, with better care, at a lower cost than institutional care. Our vital services address social determinants of health challenges and include information and referral, case management for home health care, home-delivered and neighborhood meals, transportation, home accessibility modifications, respite care and caregiver assistance. The CICOA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation established in 1992 to fund and support the mission of CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions.

ABOUT MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA

Meals on Wheels America is the leadership organization supporting the more than 5,000 community-based programs across the country that are dedicated to addressing senior hunger and isolation. Powered by a trusted volunteer workforce, this network delivers a comprehensive solution that begins with a meal and is proven to enable independence and well-being through the additional benefits of tailored nutrition, social connection, safety and much more. By providing funding, programming, education, research and advocacy, Meals on Wheels America empowers its local member programs to strengthen their communities, one senior at a time. For more information, or to find a Meals on Wheels provider near you, visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org. Press Contact: press@mealsonwheelsamerica.org.

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 $500 million in veteran causes and improved more than 60,000 veteran homes and facilities. The Foundation has pledged to invest $750 million in veteran causes by 2030 and $50 million in training the next generation of skilled tradespeople through the Path to Pro program by 2028. To learn more about The Home Depot Foundation, visit HomeDepotFoundation.org and follow us on X/Twitter @HomeDepotFound and on Facebook and Instagram @HomeDepotFoundation.