Heavenly Father, we praise you for this day as a dream becomes a reality. Today we come together to dedicate these houses that will assist our wounded comrades and their families. They gave so much for the peace and security of our nation and now we give back to them. May these houses assist our comrades and their families and be a source of comfort and healing of body, mind and spirit. Many have given of their time, talents and treasure in order to bring forth this project. May they take comfort in knowing their work brings forth healing and true Hope for the Warriors. Bless them abundantly for their generosity as they trust in your providential hand. Now the first part of the dream is complete and we pray for your continued strength to make the whole dream real that we may never forget those who have sacrificed so much.

A blessing by Father Tim Hogan, March 15, 2007

Recognizing that Wounded Warriors with spouses and their families also benefit from the camaraderie and shared experiences of others, Hope For The Warriors™ has founded the Warrior House™ program. Warrior House™ will provide transitional, adapted living quarters for wounded families until such time that they can find suitable long-term adapted housing. In addition, Warrior House™ will provide lodging for families visiting wounded service members at the Wounded Warrior Barracks (Maxwell Hall) or Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune. Warrior House™ I & II will provide adaptive housing for wounded Marines and Sailors returning to Camp Lejeune for their unit homecomings.

As the first phase in providing this unique housing for all wounded, Warrior House™ I and II are now open aboard Camp Lejeune, NC. Donated by Atlantic Marine Corps Communities (AMCC) the houses have been made fully ADA compliant by Hope For The Warriors™ and AMCC through donations made by caring individuals and corporations. Furnishings and comfort items have been donated by local community members.

Each furnished Warrior House™ is complete with ramps, roll in shower and widened doorways, and is designed to look and feel like home so the temporary residents can spend time focusing on the needs of their loved ones. The homes will provide temporary lodging for families visiting their wounded service member and severely wounded returning for their units' homecomings, as well as transitional adaptive lodging for Wounded Warriors with spouses and children.

Much like a typical home, each Warrior House™ is equipped with a full kitchen and dining room, laundry facilities, an open living room, a bathroom, two bedrooms and a fully equipped office which includes a new computer system and internet service. Other structural comforts include a screened-in porch and covered carport. Comfortable living room, dining room and bedroom furnishings are being provided by various local businesses and community members.

The Warrior House™ Resource Center, housed in the third home, will serve as a centralized hub for governmental and corporate organizations offering assistance to all wounded service members and their families, as well as the families of the fallen. To enhance recovery and access to benefits and supporting organizations, the Resource Center will also include an intimate counseling setting and large conference area for the Wounded Warrior Spouses' Support Group and the families' use.

All furnishings for the Resource Center have been graciously donated by Mr. Itchy Popkin, owner of Furniture Fair. Beautiful flowers were planted in the front of each house by Rebecca Jackson, a Cadette from Girl Scout troop number 24 as part of her Silver and Gold Award Projects and her fellow troop members. "I want to do my community service project for the wounded Marines."

Out of his compassion for all wounded service members and their families, Coleman Fuquea organized and constructed fences around the Warrior Houses to provide privacy for guests. As a local boy scout working towards his Eagle Scout status, Coleman enlisted the help and support of Home Depot, Andy's Fencing, Dunkin Donuts, SubWay and many of his fellow scouts to enfence both yards in a single afternoon.

We are currently offering sponsorship opportunities for future Warrior House™ projects. If you would like more information about being involved in this dynamic program, please contact:

Shannon Maxwell shannon@hopeforthewarriors.org
Robin Kelleher robin@hopeforthewarriors.org