'Heroes At Home' Helps Returning Troops

PHILADELPHIA - Troops do so much to keep us safe overseas. On Wednesday in Germantown, it was time to give back at a "Heroes at Home" rebuilding event.

Diane Hawkins calls Rebuilding Together Philadelphia a blessing. The group helps veterans coming home to homes that would've been in disrepair, Fox 29's Shawnette Wilson reported.

Hawkins is glad her son, who is deployed right now, will have a safe place to bring his family home to, and it's all because of a corporation and community of volunteers.

"It takes a lot of pressure off of him because he's not sure just yet in which direction he's going to go once he comes back to civilian life," Hawkins said.

Hawkins' son, David, served four tours in Iraq. He's in Germany now with his wife and two kids. They're all moving in with Hawkins when he returns.

Carrie Rathman leads community groups and volunteers in getting the job done.

"I think there must be so much anxiety for David and his family coming back, re-entering civilian life in this economy," Rathman said. "… We've done lots of roofing, lots of pointing. We've rehabbed three of the bathrooms. She's got new appliances. And today we're painting and we're going to finish up the last kind of energy-efficiency upgrades."

Sears pays for the project, and employees roll up their sleeves.

"I thought I was coming to paint. They found out I have skilled labor. They want me to do more," said one of the Sears employees, Joe Pearce.

Hawkins said she couldn't afford the repairs and is extremely grateful.

"It's a stressful situation. When Rebuilding Philadelphia Came along it was like a Christmas in July," said Hawkins, who hopes her son will be home in two weeks.

Their home is one of 74 that Rebuilding Together Philadelphia has helped redo for veterans and low-income families this year, Wilson reported.

For more information on "Heroes at Home," including how to donate, click here .