Homes for Our Troops Turns Over the Keys to Marine CPL Visnu Gonzalez LEED-H Platinum Home Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 11:00 AM at 28 Cross Street in Hillsdale, NJ

The brand new specially adapted home for the paralyzed marine veteran will be on the Marine Corps birthday

11.05.2009 – Homes for Our Troops Will Turn Over the Keys to Marine CPL Visnu Gonzalez Energy Efficient, High Performance Barrier Free Home Tuesday, November 10 on the Marine Corps Birthday

Hillsdale, NJ…November 10, 2009 Homes for Our Troops founder John Gonsalves will turn over the keys to Marine Corporal Visnu Gonzalez, a paralyzed veteran on Tuesday, November 10 at 11:00 at 28 Cross Street in Hillsdale, NJ.

This home will be presented to CPL Visnu Gonzalez at no cost thanks to a generous grant from the Sierra Club Foundation and countless professional tradespeople that donated time and materials.

Homes for Our Troops achieved the US Green Building Council’s LEED-H Platinum Certification. This program focuses on the complete environmental impact of residential building. The home achieved 95 points – 14 more than were needed to achieve a platinum rating.

It is also the first New Jersey Climate Choice residential home constructed in the state that is administered through the New Jersey Clean Energy Program. New Jersey’s Climate Choice Home program incorporates New Jersey Energy Star Home standards and renewable energy technologies that result in nearly zero energy use.

Corporal Visnu Gonzalez was shot by a sniper, severing his spinal cord in the C-6, C-7 level on April 21st, 2004, while serving in Iraq. He also received a shot to his left subclavian artery that caused severe bleeding and near death. Despite surgery to stabilize his vertebra, today, Cpl Gonzalez remains paralyzed from the upper chest down.

“We have so many people to thank and acknowledge for the work they did on this house for CPL Visnu Gonzalez.” said John Gonsalves, founder of Homes for Our Troops “One of our goals is to bring community together to help build barrier free specially adapted homes for our severely injured veterans and the community of Hillsdale and surrounding areas showed up in spades to make this proud day happen.”

Homes for Our Troops sponsors for Corporal Visnu Gonzales include:
• Harvey Windows that designs all of its superior quality windows
• Plygem Mastic provided the advanced locking system siding
• Davinci Roofscapes provided the slate roof titles with a sustainable advantage and 50 year warranty
• Fypon – molded millwork and columns for the house
• Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund providing financial assistance and quality of life solutions for marines
• Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin Robbins Community Foundation the Build Brigade sponsor.

It is fitting that the keys are presented to Marine CPL Visnu Gonzalez on the Marine Corps birthday, which was officially founded in 1775 and it is also the day before Veteran’s Day when Homes for Our Troops recognizes and thanks all the men and women who proudly serve and have served in the US military.

Features in CPL Visnu Gonzalez home includes:

• The home is completely handicap accessible and includes an elevator and a lift care system.
• About 70% of the homes electricity will come from solar panels
• The flooring is made of bamboo
• A 1,500 gallon underground tank collects rain water for irrigation
• Heating and cooling costs will be reduced by 75 percent thanks to a geo-thermal heat pump
• It has an Energy Star Indoor air package – meeting criteria for healthy indoor air quality.
• The windows are triple glazed and filed with Krypton gas to avoid heat transfer through the glass.
• The project was built on an infill lot with access to dozens of services and public transportation to decrease the need for automotive travel.
• Building materials to construct the home were ordered to exact specification to decrease waste.

Homes for Our Troops will receive a check at the key ceremony for CPL Visnu Gonzalez as it begins a year-long sponsorship relationship with FujiFilm SeeHere.com program.

About Homes for Our Troops

Homes for Our Troops is a national non-profit 501(c) 3 organization based in Taunton, MA founded by John Gonsalves in 2004. Homes for Our Troops’ mission is to build specially adapted homes for severely injured veterans who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan. All specially adapted homes are built at no cost to the veteran thanks to donations from thousands of individuals, foundation grants, corporate sponsors, professional tradespeople and generous support from countless volunteers.

Homes for Our Troops is proud to be listed in the American Institute of Philanthropy’s top rated Veterans & Military Charities where it enjoys an A rating. It has received a Four Star Rating from Charity Navigator. Homes for Our Troops is a member of the Green Building Council. For more information about Homes for Our Troops please visit www.homesforourtroops.org

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News Facts

Homes for Our Troops achieved the US Green Building Council's LEED-H Platinum Certification. The home achieved 95 points - 14 more than needed to achieve a platinum rating
The Home is also the first New Jersey Climate Choice residential home constructed in the state through the New Jersey Clean Energy Program.
CPL Visnu Gonzalez was shot by a sniper bullet on April 21, 2004. CPL Gonzalez remains paralyzed from the upper chest down.
The Homes for Our Troops home for CPL Visnu Gonzalez will be presented to him at no cost thanks to a generous grant from the Sierra Club Foundation and countless other professional tradespeople.
Homes for Our Troops has turned over the keys to 64 completed specially adapted homes.

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More Homes for Our Troops News: Homes for Our Troops and the Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins Community Foundation Host Three-Day Build Brigade for SPC Alex Knapp; Homes for Our Troops Holds Three-Day Build Brigade for SPC Jason Schulz Oct. 21-23 in Eagle, WI; Homes for Our Troops Presents the Keys to SPC Brett Wolf Saturday, Oct. 3; Homes for Our Troops Presents the Keys to SPC Bryant Jacobs Saturday, Sept 12 at 11:00 AM; Subscribe

Homes for Our Troops builds specially adapted homes for severely injured veterans at no cost to the veteran

Paralyzed Marine Veteran CPL Visnu Gonzalez greets fellow marines

CPL Visnu Gonzalez home workers landscape outside

Homes for Our Troops Turns over the Keys the LEED-H Platinum certified handicap accessible home to CPL Visnu Gonzalez