H-E-B Homes Built for Heroes program is part of an initiative that’s approaching 40 homes gifted mortgage-free to severely wounded military Veterans and their families.
On Veterans Day and every 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 250 appreciation events and community outreach efforts, as well as the dedication of a mortgage-free military home to a deserving Veteran.
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. Several stores also will host Veterans Day celebration receptions.
“H-E-B works year-round through our Operation Appreciation program to support our military service members, Veterans, and their families,” said Winell Herron, H-E-B Group Vice President of Public Affairs, Diversity and Environmental Affairs. “H-E-B is proud to recognize their commitment and sacrifice to our country, and we’re honored to call these brave Americans family, friends, and Partners.”
Additionally, H-E-B will host luncheons for nearly 300 retired H-E-B Partners who are military Veterans and support several military nonprofits across the state with meal distributions, gift cards, programming sponsorships and more.
Examples include:
- H-E-B’s San Antonio Veteran Partner Resource Group presented $25,000 in educational scholarships at $5,000 each to five San Antonio students who are part of military families.
- In Houston, H-E-B Operation Appreciation gifted Career & Recovery Resources, Inc., which has a program that assists Veterans who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness, with $10,000 to support the organization’s Veterans program. Additionally, H-E-B’s Veteran Partner Resource Group created over 200 hygiene and snack kits and served True Texas BBQ meals to Veterans in the program.
- H-E-B’s Gulf Coast Region Veterans Partner Resource Group partnered with Nueces County Veterans Services Department to assemble gift bags for Veterans and surprised the organization with $10,000 to continue the organizations Veteran services.
- H-E-B’s San Antonio Veteran PRG will work with the Fred Brock American Legion Post No. 828 to honor local Veterans with True Texas BBQ lunch and surprised the post with a $5,000 donation.
- H-E-B Partners in the Texas Border region assembled more than 500 bags filled with food items to distribute at the Food Bank RGV on Veterans Day.
Among other festivities, H-E-B, in partnership with Operation Finally Home, dedicated its 38th custom-built, mortgage-free home U.S. Army Veteran Jacob Sanchez, his wife, Sam, and their six children in Alamo, TX. On Veterans Day, the retailer also will hold a celebration ceremony for a home in Waco, which it recently began construction on, for U.S. Navy Veteran Harold Lincoln, 87, and his wife, Mary. The home is expected to be dedicated sometime next year.
Home dedications such as this are part of H-E-B’s Homes Built for Heroes program, which plans to dedicate another five homes in 2023, bringing the total donated from H-E-B and the H-E-B Tournament of Champions to 45 homes. Since 2013, H-E-B has partnered with organizations such as the Gary Sinise Foundation, Homes for Our Troops and Operation Finally Home to build these life-changing homes across 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. 6, 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. As part of a pilot program in San Antonio, customers also can select an amount on the pay terminal to donate a dollar amount or by rounding up to the nearest whole dollar amount.
These efforts along with our year-round support of military families 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. Since 2014, H-E-B, which has been named a top workplace for military Veterans, has hired more than 25,000 Veterans and military spouses.
