Honored to Build for Homes for Our Troops
Truland Homes is honored to participate and build Elliott Smith’s brand new home in Pensacola. We are a homebuilder that believes in giving back to our local communities, and our associates include local men and women who have served our country. Giving back and doing all we can with what has been given is part of our culture and credo. We look forward to unveiling Mr. Smith’s home in the months to come. Check back for progress updates!
ABOUT HOMES FOR OUR TROOPS
Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) is a publicly funded 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that builds and donates specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans, to enable them to rebuild their lives. Most of these Veterans have sustained injuries including multiple limb amputations, partial or full paralysis, and/or severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). These homes restore some of the freedom and independence our Veterans sacrificed while defending our country, and enable them to focus on their family, recovery, and rebuilding their lives. Since its inception in 2004, nearly 90 cents out of every dollar spent has gone directly to our program services for Veterans. HFOT builds these homes where the Veteran chooses to live, and continues its relationship with the Veterans after home delivery to assist them with rebuilding their lives.
MEET ELLIOTT SMITH
Elliott Smith comes from a long line of veteran heroes in the US. In 2004, he joined the United States Army and served in his first deployment to Iraq. Tragically, in 2005 he was injured in combat when he was pinned against the wall by an M1 Abrams battle tank. Elliott lost his right leg that day, and was transferred back home to undergo physical therapy. After just eight months of dedication, Elliott was able to walk again using a prosthetic leg, without using a cane. But the fight also left mental scars. Elliott was forced to contend with PTSD and addiction, a battle that continued until a fateful day when he was involved in a car accident. That day, he knew he wanted to spend his life giving back. Elliott dived in to help at several non-profits, all of which served the interest of giving support to veterans and amputees, such as POE in Action, Amputee Blade Runners, and Ahero. Elliott went to college and earned a degree in exercise science from the University of West Florida and is working on a master’s degree in orthotics and prosthetics, all so he can continue is work to help the suffering in his professional career as well. Today, Elliott is writing a book about his fellow veterans that he met while undergoing physical therapy, citing that those are stories that haven’t been told; that those are stories of lives that were changed forever. Elliott is also working to build a special needs-adapted Homes for Our Troops home that will allow him to live more comfortably at home in West Florida.
