NCAEC is providing electrical material and labor for Homes 4 Our Heroes in Winston Salem. We want to thank Mike Poole with Eaton Corporation for providing the electrical panels for the units. Kent Young with Thomas and Betts provided the outlet boxes. Larry Watkins with General Cable provided SE cables and NCAEC provided N/M cable and labor by Terry Cromer and Tim Myers. This is NCAEC’s 2nd project helping with veterans.
Formerly homeless Vietnam veteran Solomon Gore stepped into his new house for the first time Thursday, marking a milestone made possible by two years of efforts from the Homes 4 Our Heroes project.
“Boy, this is a blessing right here. This is a blessing right here. I love the paint job, I love the walls…I love the neatness of it, and these hardwood floors! I’m gon’ live like a king! That’s all I can say,” Gore said excitedly as he saw his house for the first time.
Gore’s house is one of two units in a duplex — one of five condemned duplexes on Cameron Avenue purchased by Whole Man Ministries of Winston-Salem in 2013.
Whole Man Ministries established Homes 4 Our Heroes after recognizing the problem of veteran homelessness in Winston-Salem. Homes 4 Our Heroes’ objective is to provide housing to homeless veterans through a
step-by-step selection and guidance process.
Gore served in the U.S. Army in the Vietnam War from 1969 to 1971. For the past year, he has been homeless — seeking shelter in a dilapidated apartment and using a lamp, mini refrigerator and crock pot to survive. He said his pride is what prevented him from reaching out for help.
Project housing coordinator Gerald Green said, “Thanks to the media, this program has been widely publicized. And his family heard about it, and they contacted Whole Man Ministries. They told us about his situation, about him being “burned out” and being homeless for over a year and living in not-so-good conditions.”
Green said the key to helping homeless veterans is guiding them through the process toward self-sustainability.
Jessie Fletcher Project
Jessie’s Bio:
Marine Scout Sniper Jessie Fletcher of 1st Battalion, 6th Marines sustained serious injuries from an improvised explosive device on October 17th, 2011 while conducting combat operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
He lost both legs, above the knee, and suffered several finger amputations. He was at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland from Oct. 2011 – Dec. 2012, and has now relocated to
Winston-Salem, NC.
Let’s come together and thank a man who was wounded while protecting us and our country! Thank you Jessie!
I know a lot of you served in our Military and those of us who didn’t owe each of you more that we could ever pay for your service. The NCAEC has always helped with special project for our returning heroes. We now have another chance to help a young man (Jessie Fletcher) who lost both of the legs from the knees down and some fingers on one hand. Helping to wire him and his wife, Emily, a new home being built for his special needs is a project NCAEC would like to help with.