Homes for Heroes’, Brad Oosterhuis, Executive Director of Affiliate programs, and Mikal Knotech, our affiliate lender with Bell Mortgage, braved the brisk unseasonably cool August weather on Saturday, to ride in the 4th Annual Cops and Kids ride. This Important fundraiser raises money to provide gifts at Christmas time, for the young patients at Childrens and Gillette Hospitals. Both are big riding enthusiasts, but by all reports Mikal was more enthralled with the excitement and adrenalin rush of winning raffle prizes and silent auction items. Mikal is now the proud owner of a bottle of wine, several black t-shirts, numerous gift certificates to area restaurants. His silent bid was successful, a most sought after prize….a ride along with a K-9 unit and a beautiful St. Paul Police Sweatshirt. Homes for Heroes in no way is saying that the St. Paul Police uniforms are beautiful, we think they are handsome and authoritative, we just think the sweatshirt was of fine quality.
Sitting on the Hog, Brad Oosterhuis as Mikal Knotech waits on word of silent bid.
St. Paul Officer, Todd Feroni along with another partner is organizer of this special event. We are very proud to say Todd was one of the very first Heroes to be served by the Homes for Heroes program way back in 2002! Todd has always been a great spokesman for Homes for Heroes, in fact, Todd has loaned his handsome face to many of our marketing materials. He even did a radio commercial for Homes for Heroes. Todd is a hero that just keeps on giving….long after he is off duty. He is a true example of a community servant!
Todd Feroni and his lovely wife Heather relax after a cool August ride.
I, Like the owners of Home for Heroes and millions of others, was horrified at 911 and the unnnecessary loss of life, especially the firefighters and police officers just trying to do there jobs under one of the worst disasters in our nation’s history. Myself, like so many others, asked “What can I do to help?”. Well, over the years, I feel I made small contributions to the heroes by buying tickets to donations, raffles and of course giving to firemen when they have their booth out at a intersection.
Now, with Homes for Heroes, I can make big contributions. $1,000, $1500, $2,000 or more may not seem like much when buying a home, but after quite a few years in the real estate business, I can tell you it is very important. For example, on a $200,000 home you may put down $5,000 as a down payment, then add in a $300 inspection, a $400 appraisal, plus attorney fees, closing costs and money to spruce up the home. Now you’re looking at $6,000-$8,000 of out-of-pocket expenses. Wouldn’t it be nice to get $1,500-$2,000 back in your pocket? If for no other reason than doing your job and doing it well, Ralph, what do you mean by just doing my job?
Heroes don’t like to be called heroes. So, the program was designed by people that do appreciate the hard work of a fireman, the courage of a police officer, the intensity of the soldier and the patience of a teacher. It’s a program to reward the life you’ve chosen and to continue to defend our freedom of choice. I’m happy to have a chosen a career in the Real Estate industry to guide clients in the biggest financial purchase of there lives and to make sure they do without mistakes and without compromise. So when you’re ready to go out looking at homes for your family, go out armed with a Homes For Heroes Realtor and make the right choice.
Homes For Heroes would like to acknowledge every Fallen Hero and Patriot Guard, but here are a few photos from a recent Patriot Guard Mission in Minnesota.
On July 16th, 2009, three soldiers from Minnesota were killed in a missle attack in Iraq. The Minnesota Patriot Guard participated in the funeral service for SPC James David Wertish, per request of his family.
During these Missions, we are not to approach the family or guests. We do not speak to them unless they approach us. It is also our policy to not take any photographs of the family, the coffin, or guests.
One of the hundreds of Patriot Guard riders who attended the mission took some inspiring photos to share, although he says the pictures are not even able to show all of the riders and motorcycles.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — An attorney is preparing to ask the Veterans Affairs Department to pay disability benefits and damages for hospital mistakes that may have exposed veterans to infectious body fluids.
Attorney Mike Sheppard of Nashville said he is preparing to file claims with the VA for about 60 veterans.
Among them are veterans who have tested positive for HIV and hepatitis and others who suffered emotional distress after the VA gave them initial positive test results for infections that turned out to be wrong.
Sheppard also said others among the roughly 10,000 affected former patients at VA hospitals in Murfreesboro, Tenn., Miami and Augusta, Ga., are also likely to seek compensation beyond the VA’s offer of free medical care.
Homes For Heroes would like to share this special announcement to veterans:
Veterans who experience injury and/or disability may have a difficult time accommodating their disability to their home. Veterans with limb injuries may struggle with stairs, hallways, bathrooms, and kitchens. Vets with brain injuries or vision problems may have trouble navigating their existing home.
Whether you are a disabled veterans or a disabled vet’s family member, understanding how to handle housing adaptations and veteran status is important for your quality of life. The VA offers the Specially Adapted Housing Grant program for disabled veterans. Unlike traditional VA home loans, the Specially Adapted Housing Grant (SAH Grant) program is available only to disabled vets, and typically only those with service-related injuries. Because veterans often come home to homes that formerly were easy to navigate but pose difficulty after injury, helping vets to accommodate is an important part of post-service life. Navigating a poorly-adapted home is a challenge for anyone who is disabled. This is why the VA developed this home improvement grant program-to help make vets’ homes affordable and livable. The maximum grant available is $60,000. The veteran’s home must be suitable for housing a disabled vet, and must be financially affordable, after the
grant improvements, for the veteran. The grant can be used within the United States and, in some cases, outside of the United States if the veteran does not live in the U.S.
Veterans can apply for and receive the Specially Adapted Housing grant up to three times, but can not use more than the maximum grant. If the maximum increases over time, the vet can apply for a
grant that is the difference between the former ceiling and the new grant ceiling, but cannot apply for more than three times for the grant. In addition, special loans are available to cover any home improvement costs not covered by the grant.
To qualify for the SAH grant, veterans must:
1. Fill out form 26-4555 to apply for the SAH grant program.
2. Submit this form to your nearest VA regional loan center. The grant is NOT a loan, but the same agency within the VA handles these SAH grants.
You may be asked to provide proof of service as part of the application; be prepared with this paperwork.
Examples of home improvement projects covered under the Specially Adapted Housing grant program include adding ramps to a home, lowering counter tops, widening doorways and hallways, and making adjustments so that veterans can be more independent and mobile in their own home.
To view pictures of projects completed under the Specially Adapted Housing grant program, watch the video detailing the program, or to learn more, visit this site.
Homes For Heroes is looking for talented individuals who are looking to enhance their resume with a meaningful program. The objective is to come up with short, informational videos to help us introduce our growing company to the world. Take a look at our website to find out what Homes For Heroes is all about, and put your talents and creativity to work to make a video that you can enter into our contest. In addition to recognition, we are offering a small stipend to the winner whose video is chosen.
Throughout our research and interaction with firefighters, Homes For Heroes staff members have come across some interesting pictures of fire trucks around the world. Take a look…
Our real estate affiliates have found the program gives them a unique niche
in a very competitive real estate market.
The program was created to take care of heroes first, but our real estate affiliates have found the program gives them a unique niche in a very competitive real estate market. Many home buyers have been sitting on the sidelines, but with low interest rates and incentive programs for new homebuyers, many of our heroes are looking to buy their first home.
The Homes For Heroes program has taken bold efforts to expand its nationally recognized program to more heroes across the country. The program provides discounts and rebates to the “Heroes” that live in our communities. Heroes have registered on our website from 46 states. Military heroes make up a large percentage of those applying for help, although the program also acknowledges community heroes such as Police, Fire Fighters, and EMTs.
The Homes For Heroes program recently added new Realtor and Lender affiliates in California, Texas, Colorado, Minnesota, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and New York. The interest in the program is increasing daily, as more heroes log on, they need more affiliates to handle the business. Local Realtors and Lenders who participate in the program agree to give significant rebates and discounts at closing to the hero, which can add up to thousands of dollars in the heroes pocket for everything from down payment and closing costs to home improvements.
They also organized the Homes For Heroes Foundation as a way to assist heroes with any special needs, and are working to expand the Friends of Heroes program that local retailers can be part of. Giving back
to those who do so much for us is not only the right thing to do – its good business too.
Homes for Heroes’, Brad Oosterhuis, Executive Director of Affiliate programs, and Mikal Knotech, our affiliate lender with Bell Mortgage, braved the brisk unseasonably cool August weather on Saturday, to ride in the 4th Annual Cops and Kids ride. This Important fundraiser raises money to provide gifts at Christmas time, for the young patients at Childrens and Gillette Hospitals. Both are big riding enthusiasts, but by all reports Mikal was more enthralled with the excitement and adrenalin rush of winning raffle prizes and silent auction items. Mikal is now the proud owner of a bottle of wine, several black t-shirts, numerous gift certificates to area restaurants. His silent bid was successful, a most sought after prize….a ride along with a K-9 unit and a beautiful St. Paul Police Sweatshirt. Homes for Heroes in no way is saying that the St. Paul Police uniforms are beautiful, we think they are handsome and authoritative, we just think the sweatshirt was of fine quality.
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Posted by homesforheroes 
Posted by homesforheroes 
