We always observed military holidays because we are a military family. The values of the US military and the dedication of the millions of men and women who serve our nation to defend our freedom were continuously emphasized to my brothers and me.
Throughout our history, almost 41 million Americans have served in the U.S. military, according to the National Census Bureau. As of February 2025, there were roughly 2 million uniformed personnel defending the United States of America, including 1.31 million active-duty service members and 762,000 in the National Guard and reserves.
What about veterans, then? Over 1.4 million of the 19.1 million veterans in the US reside in Florida, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). With around 61,000 residents in Orange County, our state has the third-largest veteran population, after Texas and California.
The housing management team of the Osceola Council on Aging creates, supplies, and oversees affordable homes for low-income seniors, families, and veterans. Our Veterans Home Renovation Initiative for numerous Central Florida regions, including Orange County, was one of my favorite programs while I worked in that department.
To help veterans and people with service-related impairments regain their freedom and improve their residential safety, the OCOA collaborates with the Home Depot Foundation to offer home rehabilitation services. Helping Homebound Heroes is the name of it.
All Orange County-based U.S. military veterans are eligible for the local home improvement program, which can involve installing support railings, repairing or adding window air conditioners, or doing minor home repairs. Other jobs include installing new flooring to avoid trip and fall risks, restoring interior walls and ceilings to increase energy efficiency, or even building wheelchair ramps to make living spaces safer and more accessible. Every initiative aims to reduce danger, restore security, and, frequently, raise general safety.
In late 2024, we partnered with Helping Homebound Heroes for Orange County. Since then, we have had the chance to assist almost a dozen senior Veterans who require changes to their homes for safety.
According to Chip Ford, our vice president of home rehabilitation services, this initiative is an ideal way to honor veterans in various Orange County areas for their service. Saying “thank you” for your service is simple, but this program goes above and beyond by physically expressing our appreciation to veterans.
Additionally, the VA and the OCOA collaborate to offer services to veterans and their caregivers. We offer Central Florida veterans comprehensive support through the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers and the Program of General Caregiver Support Services.
If you or someone you know needs residential care, call the OCOA at 407-846-8532, ext. 1265, 1274, or 1210.
The Osceola Council on Aging’s president and CEO is Wendy Coschignano-Ford.
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