According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, there are more than 3.6 million veterans with a service-related disability and the need for day-to-day household and lifestyle assistance services is a major need area.
With that statistic in mind, Project EverGreen is pleased to announce the expansion of its Green Care for Troops (GCFT) program to include wounded and disabled veterans in addition to families of currently deployed military personnel. GCFT is underwritten by The Toro Company.
The program, now in its ninth year, provides military personnel and their immediate families with free lawn care and landscape services from registered volunteers for the length of deployment; typically nine months to one year. The same service period exists for wounded and disabled veterans; and they can re-apply for an additional year of services if needed.
Additionally, there are more than 1.4 million active-duty personnel currently serving in the U.S. military including more than 160,000 personnel deployed in 150 countries across the world.
“The need to support the families of those holding down the home front is significant. We’re thrilled to expand this program for wounded and disabled veterans. It’s important to Project EverGreen and our dedicated volunteer base to continue supporting our veterans in their critical time of need,” says Cindy Code, executive director of Project EverGreen. “We’re very grateful for the continued support from The Toro Company and the leadership they have demonstrated in support of military families goes above and beyond the call of duty.”
GreenCare for Troops was launched in 2007. Over the history of the program, GCFT has served more than 10,000 military families across the country with the tremendous assistance of more than 4,000 lawn and landscape contractor volunteers. These valuable services provide military families with peace of mind and so much more.
“A well-maintained yard not only provides kids with a safe place to play and a way for neighbors to connect but it also helps increase property values,” adds Code.
The volunteer-based program matches families in need with a volunteer in their area. The program is national in scope and the need varies greatly from region to region. Because volunteers and families don’t always align, Project EverGreen encourages volunteers to continue to register to help our nation’s military families.
Project EverGreen also announces that April 19-25, 2015 will be designated National GreenCare for Troops Awareness Week. The week is intended to raise awareness of the program and will spotlight the efforts of the program’s volunteers and the military families and veterans it serves.
Project EverGreen has also designated May 17-23, 2015 as National “Healthy Turf. Healthy Kids. ™” Awareness Week and November 8-14, 2015 as National SnowCare for Troops Awareness Week.
For more information on how to volunteer or sign up for Project EverGreen’s GreenCare for Troops, visit www.ProjectEvergreen.org/gcft.