Texas Welcomes Its 50th And 51st Specially Adapted HFOT Homes For Severely Injured Veterans

Texas Welcomes Its 50th And 51st Specially Adapted HFOT Homes For Severely Injured Veterans

The Budget Blinds® corporate partnership with Homes For Your Troops (HFOT) has been an exciting nationwide experience since 2014 when, along with our manufacturing partner Springs Window Fashions who donates the blinds, we began installing custom faux wood blinds into all the homes HFOT built. We’ve shared many milestones, like their 250th home, the 300th home, and now the 50th and 51st homes in one state! The wide-open spaces of Texas are very welcoming, and several communities have developed strong Veteran-friendly neighborhoods.

SPC Johnny Nguyen cuts the ribbonSPC Johnny Nguyen cuts the ribbon to enter his new specially adapted home in Texas, joining other HFOT home recipients as the newest neighbor

Another milestone in Texas involves our franchise owners, Jeff and Linda Schield of Budget Blinds serving North San Antonio. Since the first HFOT home built in their territory in 2016, these two newest homes in Texas are the 20th and 21st HFOT home installations for the Schields. Their faithful support exemplifies the commitment of Budget Blinds franchise owners across the country who willingly donate time and expertise to ensure each Veteran’s home has beautiful window blinds. Jeff and Linda share their heart for this partnership: “San Antonio is a very strong military community. Supporting Veterans in this ministry is an honor, especially knowing how much the families have sacrificed for our country. We are very proud to be partners with HFOT, doing our part to make each Veteran’s life better. The HFOT program allows us to give back to the military community, which is really strong here in Military City, USA. Our community is not only full of active military, but many military retirees want to make the San Antonio area their last post and build their forever homes here. I think that’s why we have been blessed with so many HFOT projects in our area!”

Believe in the healing power of home

These specially adapted, mortgage-free homes from HFOT restore some of the freedom and independence Veterans sacrificed while defending our country, thereby enabling them to focus on family, recovery, and rebuilding their lives. The over 40 special adaptations help restore normalcy for Veterans suffering from multiple amputations, partial- or full-paralysis, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury, burns, and loss of sight and hearing. Safety and wheelchair accessibility are key components and favorite adaptations include the roll-in shower, roll-under countertops in kitchen and master bath, hands-free automatic doors, wider doorways and hallways, no raised thresholds, and no stairs with one-level living.

Durable and easy to clean window blindsDurable and easy to clean, window blinds provide light and privacy control in every room

Budget Blinds contributes beauty, comfort, and years of worry-free operation with custom-fit faux wood blinds that provide valuable benefits:

  • Clean, classic lines of white faux wood binds are compatible with any decorating style from traditional to modern.
  • Window blinds conserve energy and help to lower utility bills by blocking outdoor cold or heat from entering the house.
  • Ultimate convenience of one-touch-control motorized blinds in the master bath for added safety.
  • Ideal for every part of the country, faux wood blinds can stand up to extreme temperatures as well as dry or humid climates without chipping, cracking, warping, or yellowing.

Budget Blinds is honored to participate with Homes For Our Troops in bringing severely injured Veterans home in Texas and across the nation!

Meet Army Specialist Johnny Nguyen

Meet Army Specialist Johnny NguyenSPC Johnny Nguyen joined the ROTC in high school along with his friends, never realizing that joining the military would become his goal. He liked the pride and respect that came with the uniform and decided he wanted to be part of something bigger than himself. He joined the Army in 2004 after high school with a desire to see the world. On his second deployment in 2009 to Iraq, his vehicle hit an improvised explosive device (IED) with catastrophic consequences. He lost his left leg above the knee and sustained damage to his right leg and back that continue to cause pain. Rehabilitation was slow and frustrating, but within a year he was able to walk on his prosthetic without assistance.

As the 50th HFOT home recipient in Texas, he lives in community with other HFOT Veterans and met Daniel Robles, a 2011 home recipient, who invited him to dinner and introduced him to HFOT. Johnny loved the specially adapted home, “With so much space to roam free with the wheelchair.” His current residence has taken a toll on him physically and mentally after a decade of trying to navigate a non-accessible home and he is excited about what the new home will mean. “On painful days when my back hurts and my body is sore, knowing I have a home where I can recharge, relax, and clear my head, I have the energy and motivation to tackle anything life throws at me,” Johnny says. The home will allow him to pursue more fully his interest in videography.

Originally from California, Johnny has chosen Spring Branch, TX, for his forever home because of proximity to healthcare and the Veteran-friendly community. Johnny says of HFOT, “The words ‘thank you’ don’t seem to be enough when I think of the impact HFOT’s donors have left on the Veteran community. They’re changing lives and making an impact on these Veterans and their families. I appreciate that we are still in your hearts and minds.”

Click here for more of Johnny’s story and to meet his supportive mom.

Volunteer DayLast step before move-in, on Volunteer Day friends and new neighbors gathered to lay sod and put in the landscaping for Johnny’s new home

Meet Army Staff Sergeant Oscar Guerra

Army Staff Sergeant Oscar GuerraSSG Oscar Guerra also joined the Army with initial intent to travel but, as so often happens, he fell in love with the organization, the climate, and the brotherhood. Ultimately, he completed eight years of service before medically retiring after sustaining major injuries in 2007 in Iraq. He was on his second deployment when the vehicle he was in drove over a powerful IED that made the Stryker “look like a pile of shrapnel.” Four members of the team were killed and eight severely injured, like Oscar, who lost his left leg below the knee, sustained traumatic brain injury and other injuries, including eventual fusion of his lower back. He doesn’t remember much of the day and was not fully conscious until he arrived stateside at Brook Army Medical Center in San Antonio. The loss of friends and his injuries made moving forward with his life difficult, and for the next three years he focused on rehab and striving to remain fit enough to stay in the Army.

Married now to his lovely wife, Felicia, they have three sons, Aiden, Kevin, and Ronin, and they are all excited at the prospect of the specially adapted house in New Braunfels, TX. Oscar shares, “Our current home is full of obstacles, steps, the driveway, and the yard is on a slope. I have to do the sinful thing of all amputees which is to hop from location to location.” They learned of HFOT from other home recipients and applied for their own specially adapted home. Oscar sees it not only as a way to live each day in safety and comfort, but as a way to continue his education and start his own nonprofit with the goal of giving back through community-based activities like the Boy Scouts of America and Junior ROTC.

He wants HFOT donors to know his home will not just benefit himself, but his entire family. “The home is going to restart our life and keep us worry-free and create the environment we could only dream of, with the ultimate freedom of being able to raise my kids the way I want and give them everything they need to become good productive community members.”

Hear Oscar and Felicity share their journey by clicking here.

Oscar and Felicity share their journeyA new adventure and bright future awaits the whole family in the new HFOT home

Combat summer heat with new, energy-saving solar shades

Solar shades can help remove the heat of summer, making your home more comfortable and energy efficient. Solar shades reduce glare and harmful UV rays that can fade and damage your furnishings while insulating against heat gain indoors. Available in various styles and openness levels, you can manage your view with designer-inspired fabrics and colors to suit any décor, indoors and out. Efficient for any size windows and sliding doors, cordless lift or motorized control makes them ideal for homes with small children and pets where cords are a danger.

custom solar shadesStay cool and enjoy your perfect view with custom solar shades that enhance energy efficiency in the summertime and all year long

Call 866-525-8054 or go online to www.budgetblinds.com to schedule a free, in-home or virtual* consultation with a Design Consultant near you to discuss our exclusive collections of blinds, shades, shutters, and drapes that can transform all your living spaces, beautifully.

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