Jelmar had a truly inspirational day lending a hand, and some elbow grease at the Orlando Union Rescue Mission.

​The extremely successful Home Depot Garden Foundation fundraising event that raised $9.4 million to help our veterans and communities impacted by natural disasters. The effort was the foundation’s largest so far. In less than a day, the area surrounding the future Orlando Union Rescue Mission men’s home went from blacktop and dust, to thick lawn, dense shrubbery, 1,500 square feet of raised garden beds, a full basketball court, 40 picnic tables and a long line of benches. “Night and day,” said Navy veteran Sam Clay, 55, who has lived at the mission’s Parramore shelter for two years. “It’s just beautiful.”

Jelmar was truly humbled to be able to work with 649 supplier partners, Home Depot merchants, Home Depot DMMs, and other staff members on such an important cause. The Home Depot Foundation brought in nearly 650 volunteers and $350,000 worth of improvements. There were volunteers from as far away as Oregon to pitch in.

“It was truly inspirational and well worth the time.”, said Alison Gutterman, CEO, and President of Jelmar. 

The Orlando Union Rescue Mission organization is thrilled and is eager to move residents in this spring. It was truly transformational. “We just came to help out…It was pretty amazing how everybody was so willing to help,” said Deanna Frye of Charlotte, N.C.