An Army veteran and his family tonight had a brand new place to call home, free of charge, thanks to a charity effort between two organizations.
Retired U.S. Army Sergeant Joshua Hargis, a decorated Army Ranger and K9 handler, received a mortgage-free custom home on Tuesday thanks to the generosity of LP Building Solutions and the Gary Sinise Foundation.
Sergeant Hargis served four tours in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom and was seriously injured during his last deployment.
Gary Sinise Foundation's RISE (Restoring Independent Supporting Empowerment) Programin partnership with a donation from building products manufacturer LP Building Solutions, donated a forever home to the Hargis family in Nashville, Tennessee.
LP Building Solutions donated the trim and siding through the LP Foundation, as well as providing financial support.
The LP Foundation has partnered with the Gary Sinise Foundation since 2022 and has donated eight homes to veterans in need. These homes are customized for each family.
“On behalf of Founder Gary Sinise and all of us at the Gary Sinise Foundation, please join us in partnering with LP and the LP Foundation and honoring our nation’s veterans, including incredible heroes like Sergeant Hargis. We are extremely grateful for the service of these men and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect our freedom and our country,” said Jim Labella, executive vice president of the Gary Sinise Foundation.
Craig Schickling, LP's vice president of specialty sales and marketing, spoke to Fox News Digital about what it was like for his organization to donate the home to the Hargis family.
“The Gary Sinise Foundation is doing great work, and LP is proud to be a partner of that foundation…This is the eighth home we have worked with them, and we are committed to We just dedicated it,” Schickling said.
“We had the opportunity to spend some time with U.S. Army Sergeant Josh Hargis and meet his family. There were also many guest speakers and we were able to provide them with a place that would be their forever home. It was designed and built for his special needs. He's a double amputee. And we were able to not only build the house, but deliver it without a mortgage. , it's a really, really powerful and moving experience to be a part of that dedication.”
Hargis is a graduate of the Army Ranger School and trained to be a K9 handler within the 75th Ranger Regiment.
“On October 5, 2013, I was assigned as a K9 handler with my dog Johnny,” Hargis said in a release from the Gary Sinise Foundation.
“During the night raid, we were drawn into an area littered with buried IEDs (improvised explosive devices) and the targets were wearing explosive vests hidden under their clothing.”
“Our unit suffered catastrophic injuries. Four members of our team died. My K9 buddy was killed. Another soldier and I sustained amputations on the battlefield. Countless others were seriously injured,” Hargis added.
As a result of the IED injury, Joshua lost one leg above the knee and the other below the knee.
“This aligns with our core values of housing and supporting our veterans who have given their all,” Schickling said.
“It also allows us to work not only nationally, but also in the homes and communities where we live and operate.”
“So this really fulfills two purposes for us: one is to make sure we address the housing issue because there is a housing shortage in America, and certainly for veterans, especially injured 'And that's really consistent with us building a better world and supporting American housing and sustainability.' Ta.
Veterans make up about 7% of the population, but about 13% of the homeless population, according to data from the Veterans Administration.
