May marks Military Appreciation Month, when we honor our current and former military members for their service and sacrifice.
Over Memorial Day weekend, Humble Design Fueled by U-Haul focused its efforts on furnishing a home for a Chicago veteran transitioning out of a VA shelter.
Helping Veterans in the Windy City
On May 28, William Wade, 56, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, stepped into his new apartment home. Humble Design volunteers spent hours furnishing and decorating the space before the special reveal.
“Now that I have a fresh start, I can focus on getting a job, and I’d like to finish my college degree, too. I’m so happy,” Wade told a group of Humble Design volunteers and local reporters who had gathered to hear his story.
Wade served in the Persian Gulf during Desert Storm and was honorably discharged. He wound up in Chicago by mistake in 2013, boarding the wrong bus when he meant to go to New York, where he grew up. After arriving in Chicago, he slipped in the snow and injured his head. Finding work was difficult and he spent time in and out of detox centers and shelters.
Now, Wade is taking a step toward a better life.
“William was so happy to get this fresh start with Humble,” said Julie Dickinson, director of Humble Design Chicago. “We are forever grateful to U-Haul. We could not help so many people without the support.”
Humble Design and national sponsor U-Haul have been assisting veterans and families transitioning out of homelessness in and around Chicago since 2017.
U-Haul Veteran Support
U-Haul, founded by a WWII Navy veteran and his wife in 1945, was built on the backs of service members. These veterans accounted for many of the first U-Haul Team Members, neighborhood dealers and customers, seeking to move their families to a better life after returning home from the war.
Today, U-Haul commits a substantial amount of its community resources to assisting veteran organizations and causes, as well as honoring our nation’s heroes. U-Haul was recently once again named a “Best for Vets” Top Veteran-Friendly Employer, according to The Military Times, and places a major emphasis on recruiting vets and giving them preference in the hiring process.
Find U-Haul careers at uhauljobs.com.
