Each Veterans Day, H-E-B Partners across the state pay respect and honor the sacrifices of our nation’s military Veterans and their families. This year, H-E-B Partners will host more than 350 appreciation events and community outreach efforts, as well as the dedications of mortgage-free military homes to deserving Veterans.

Among this year’s celebrations, H-E-B stores across Texas will distribute gift bags filled with H-E-B brand items and a note of gratitude, handing them to Veterans inside stores and at local Veteran nonprofits such as community VFW and American Legion locations. H-E-B, in partnership with Favor, also will deliver gift bags to Veterans at their homes. Additionally, H-E-B will support several military nonprofits across the state with meal distributions, luncheons, gift cards, programming sponsorships and more.

Among other festivities, H-E-B made a surprise announcement that, in partnership with Operation Finally Home, it will build a custom, mortgage-free home for a military Veteran who has multiple service-connected disabilities. The home for U.S. Navy Veteran Harold Lincoln, 87, and his wife, Mary, is expected to be dedicated sometime next year. In May, an electrical fire caused severe damage to their Waco home, where they have lived for 47 years.

Home dedications such as this are part of H-E-B’s Homes Built for Heroes program, which recently gifted its 35^th ultra-accessible, mortgage-free home to a severely wounded military Veteran. For that special 35^th milestone, H-E-B honored U.S. Marine Staff Sergeant Felipe Tremillo, Jr., and his family, giving them the keys to their new home in Waco earlier this summer. Through partnerships with military nonprofit organizations, H-E-B and the H-E-B Tournament of Champions help gift these mortgage-free homes to severely wounded heroes and their families in Texas.

H-E-B customers also can offer a salute to active-duty service members, military Veterans, and their families by supporting H-E-B’s Operation Appreciation donation campaign. Through Dec. 7, H-E-B customers can ask their cashiers to add $1, $3, and $5 to their grocery bill or donations can be made online when placing Curbside and Home Delivery orders.

These efforts along with our year-round support of military are part of the H-E-B Operation Appreciation program. Committed to honoring our nation’s heroes throughout the year, H-E-B Operation Appreciation supports, honors, and provides employment opportunities to military service members, Veterans, and their families. Launched in 2013, the program has provided more than $10 million in support to dozens of military-based nonprofits in Texas as well as efforts that provide mortgage-free homes to severely wounded Veterans.

Additionally, H-E-B holds several events throughout the year to celebrate military spouses, support youth education initiatives, and honor holidays such as Independence Day, Veterans Day, and Memorial Day. And to offer a taste of home, H-E-B sends hundreds of care packages to service members deployed across the world. H-E-B has regularly been named a top workplace for military Veterans and was recently recognized by Forbes as a top employer for Veterans, coming in as the fourth highest ranked Texas company on the list. Since 2014, H-E-B has hired more than 20,000 Veterans and military spouses.

“For nearly a decade, H-E-B, through our Operation Appreciation program, works year-round to support our military service members, Veterans, and their families with community celebrations, nonprofit support, and employment opportunities,” said Winell Herron, H-E-B Group Vice President of Public Affairs, Diversity and Environmental Affairs. “As they carry the torch of liberty in service to our country, H-E-B is proud to recognize their courage and sacrifice, and we’re honored to call these brave Americans family, friends, and Partners.”