SAN ANTONIO — A 75-year-old Air Force veteran received what amounts to a brand new home.
Enrique Alvarado Jr. says his father has been living in a shed behind his house without running water or electricity for two years, because his home was in such disrepair.
"When I got out of the military back in 2013, I used a severance pay that I got from the army. The house was really, really bad," Alvarado Jr. told us.
The money quickly ran out.
"I put pretty much put my house, my life on hold to try to fix my parents house because I couldn't. I couldn't live a good life while my parents were living in a not so good home," Alvarado Jr. said.
Michael Cotungo who founded Adapt-A-Vet with his wife says this project was years in the making.
"Because of COVID, we weren't able to start Enrique's project last year because we were going to start. I believe it was in April and everything got shut down in March," Cotungo said.
Marc Wonder, Veterans Coordinator from the City of San Antonio said, "We toured the property with Enrique and his son and we developed a plan from there."
Home Depot provided most of the materials for the job.
"What's nice about it is everybody out here from Home Depot volunteers to do these types of projects and it gives us and opportunity to give back to our communities," Greg Mills from the Home Depot Foundation said.
The plan is to build a new washroom, provide new electrical wiring, heating and cooling, and a new front porch. Basically gutting the house and fixing up by Christmas.
"I'm really, really happy and ecstatic that they're going to be able to live a comfortable life," Alvarado Jr. said.
Adapt-A-Vet it is still looking for volunteers to help finish the home.
They are in need of an HVAC system, and even more important donations for labor for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing needs as well as incidental costs.
Anyone who would like to lend a hand and donate any of their time or items can contact Adapt-A-Vet at 210-481-8060 or info@adaptavet.org.
Every dollar counts. Help Alvarado get back into his house for the holidays.