Wells Fargo and Homes for Wounded Heroes: In Birmingham, Alabama, Army veteran Gerardo Contreras received the keys to a new home, courtesy of Wells Fargo and the Military Warriors Support Foundation Homes for Wounded Heroes program. With 22 years of military service and an injury sustained in Afghanistan, Contreras and his family are embarking on a move to Alabama into a mortgage-free home. Set to work at the Maxwell Airforce Base in Montgomery, Contreras, initially worried about housing costs, expresses gratitude to Wells Fargo and the Homes for Wounded Heroes program for alleviating those concerns.
Contreras shares his excitement, saying, “It’s amazing. It’s amazing, so blessed, so blessed. It’s nice. I like it. I like it a lot.” Philip Bazinet, a Mortgage Lender Manager at Wells Fargo, highlights the bank’s substantial $60 million investment over the years in building homes for veterans. Bazinet announces the donation of a mortgage-free home as a thank-you for Contreras’s military service.
Retired Army Specialist Jason Moon stresses the importance of caring for those who served the country, having been a recipient of a mortgage-free home in 2014. Moon, who understands the joy Contreras is experiencing, mentions the program’s significant impact, having awarded close to a thousand homes across the country in the last 16 years. “We want to thank them for everything they’ve done. I wish we could help everyone, but we help as many as possible,” Moon adds.
As Contreras finalizes his official start date, he, along with his daughter and fiancé, prepares for the official move to Alabama. The Homes for Wounded Heroes program extends its support beyond homes, assisting veterans in obtaining cars. This initiative continues to express gratitude for veterans’ service, making a meaningful impact on the lives of those who have dedicated themselves to the nation.
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