Shelter for Homeless Veterans Competes for $25,000 in Facebook Contest

, Inc. in Wheaton has been selected as a finalist for Aprons in Action, The Home Depot Foundation’s Facebook voting program, and now has the opportunity to win a $25,000 gift card from The Home Depot.

Voting began Oct. 1 and runs through Oct. 31 at www.facebook.com/homedepotfoundation. The organization with the most votes will win the $25,000 prize, and be in the running for the grand prize of $250,000 at the end of the year-long program. The runner-up organizations from each month will receive $5,000 in The Home Depot gift cards.

During the Aprons in Action Contest, which began in April 2011, 11 monthly winners will be selected. In March 2012, Facebook fans will have the chance to help one of those 11 winners win the $250,000 grand prize. The organization that receives the second and third most votes will receive $150,000 and $100,000 from The Home Depot, respectively.

Between September and November, all four nonprofit finalists each month are selected because of their support for veterans and their families, as part of The Home Depot Foundation’s “Celebration of Service” campaign.  Celebration of Service, which takes place from Sept. 11, 2011 through Veteran’s Day (Nov. 11, 2011), includes 200 service projects with Team Depot volunteers, directly aimed at improving homes, facilities and community centers where veterans live and receive services, as well as a variety of fundraising activities.

In the October round of the competition, Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans, Inc. is competing against three other nonprofit organizations from across the country that serve and support veterans including Honor America, Inc. in Melbourne, Fla., Rebuilding Together Seattle and New Directions, Inc. in Los Angeles.

“Being selected for the Aprons in Action Program is an honor, and we are so thankful for the recognition,” said MSHV Executive Director Anita Dierks. “If we actually win the $25,000 The Home Depot gift card, we will be able to help improve the lives of the veterans we serve by refurbishing the physical structure and layout of our facilities.  So we encourage everyone to go to Facebook and vote for us!”

Working together, Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans, Inc. and Team Depot volunteers have already rehabilitated the front porch of MSHV’s Nicholas Larson Home, located at 119 N. West St. in Wheaton.

Across the country, The Home Depot Associates give back to their communities by volunteering their time and talents with local nonprofit organizations, like Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans, Inc.  The Aprons in Action Program recognizes these successful partnerships and gives each of the featured nonprofits the opportunity to do additional work with Team Depot volunteers to better their communities.

“Aprons in Action is our $1 million effort to support the most active and engaged nonprofit organizations across the country,” said Kelly Cafarelli, president of The Home Depot Foundation. “Over the course of this program, we’ll distribute $1 million to 48 deserving organizations from across the nationwide Team Depot network, allowing them to continue their great work serving our communities.”

How To Vote

Voting runs from Oct. 1 at 9:00 a.m. ET through Oct. 31 at 12 p.m. ET. Aprons in Action is on Facebook at www.facebook.com/homedepot orwww.facebook.com/homedepotfoundation. 

The final percentages of votes for each nonprofit will be posted on The Home Depot and The Home Depot Foundation’s Facebook pages on Nov. 1 at 9:00 a.m. ET. 

For more information and to view the program rules, visit The Home Depot on Facebook or go to www.homedepotfoundation.org.