Building Homes, Changing Lives

In 2007, when Dave Beatty was leaving Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C., where he was recuperating from injuries sustained in an IED explosion that resulted in the loss of both his legs, he was able to return to something he didn’t know he would have, a home. 

Russell Rauch, the Profit Center Manager at Hughes Supply in Statesville, N.C., the Hughes team, and many other volunteers were able to build Beatty a home for him and his family. This seemingly small act led to the formation of the Purple Heart Homes organization. Seventeen years later, over 3,000 veterans have been helped because of Purple Heart Homes. 

Our little store, our little PC in Statesville went out to help the world, help the nation, said Rauch.

According to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, despite there only being 7% of the United States able to claim veteran status, 13% of the total homelessness population in the United States are veterans. Purple Heart Homes, which Rauch is an executive board member for, helps service-connected disabled and aging veterans ensure that they have a roof to live under through safe, barrier-free housing solutions.

In addition to the many roles that Rauch has, he is an occasional television star on the show Military Makeover hosted by Montel Williams airing on Lifetime. Starting in 2023, Purple Heart homes partnered with Military Makeover to increase awareness and add a visual impact of the lives that were being changed.

It’s crazy to think that this started, you know, with the homeowner’s association and has become such a big thing now, said Rauch. Little things do make a difference because they can spiral.

It is not just Rauch helping build homes, but the Hughes Statesville team also volunteers and contributes to the efforts. Many of the employees use their Hajoca Community Day of Service to dedicate their time to building houses, remodeling houses, and working on other various projects supported by the Purple Heart Homes organization.

As a testament to the culture Rauch has built, the volunteering efforts are not limited to Hughes employees, as many of their family members contribute their own time as well. Their efforts are well worth it to be there cheering at the completion of a project, as a veteran sees their house for the first time embedded with hope.