Nonprofit To Build Adapted Home for Injured Veteran

ALACHUA ‒ Homes For Our Troops (HFOT), a national nonprofit organization dedicated to building and donating specially adapted custom homes for severely injured post-9/11 veterans, will host a community kickoff event Saturday, April 26, 2025, to mark the start of construction for a new home in Alachua.

The home is being built for Army Staff Sgt. Carlos Rivera, who sustained a severe incomplete spinal cord injury while serving in Iraq. The injury has left him with chronic pain, limited mobility, and seizures, eventually leading him to medically retire from the Army—a career he deeply valued.

The kickoff event will take place at 10 a.m. at Canvas Church, 15551 N.W. U.S. Highway 441. The public is invited to attend and meet Rivera, who will be introduced to the community during the ceremony.

Following his injury, Rivera experienced worsening symptoms, including difficulty walking and debilitating seizures. After undergoing spinal cord surgery while still on active duty, he made the difficult decision to leave military service.

HFOT’s custom home for Rivera will include more than 40 major adaptations designed to improve accessibility and safety, including widened doorways, a roll-in shower, and a fully accessible kitchen with pull-down shelving and lowered countertops. The design is intended to eliminate the everyday challenges that traditional homes present for wheelchair users.  

Since its founding in 2004, Homes For Our Troops has completed over 400 homes nationwide. Each home is built at no cost to the veteran, funded through donations from individuals, community fundraisers, and corporate sponsors.

For more information about how to support the project or make a donation, visit www.hfotusa.org.

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