Home Depot employees fix up homes for homeless veterans

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APPLETON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Volunteers in Wisconsin are working through Veterans Day weekend, hoping to break the cycle of homelessness.

Home Depot's "Celebration of Service" campaign is already underway in Appleton.

"Most of our efforts are focused on veterans' needs," said Wendy Winters, Grand Chute Home Depot manager. "Whether that be housing, improving their living conditions, sometimes repairing areas of their homes."

More than a dozen employees are spending their free time working on providing a better tomorrow for homeless veterans.

"Cots" is a shelter that helps the Fox Valley's homeless while they get back on their feet. They're also renovating several rooms for Wisconsin heroes. Some of those volunteering are heroes themselves.

"I was lucky," said veteran Steve Zorteau. "I landed on my feet. A lot don't. They go to war so we're safe. We ought to take care of them when they come back, because they don't always come back."

The campaign is spending about 100,000 hours of time on projects. 

The Home Depot Foundation plans to spend a total of $500 million on veterans projects by 2025.

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