Injured veteran Jason Smith walks into his new home for the first time
Injured U.S. Veteran Jason Smith will be enjoying a new home this Memorial Day, complete with a full suite of appliances from GE. The company partnered with Steps 2 Hope, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making a difference in the lives of young adults who have lost their mobility due to a traumatic event, to give the wounded local hero a fresh start.
On July 25, 2012, Mr. Smith lost both legs to an Improvised Explosive Device while serving in Afghanistan and was unable to continue serving in the Army.
He is now fighting a new battle to regain his health, learn to walk again and create a new future. As he heads back to school to learn skills to begin a new career, Steps 2 Hope and local partners like GE Appliances worked to provide Mr. Smith and his family a mortgage-free home.
“Thanks to the wonderful appliances provided by GE and the special placement in our kitchen, I have full access which allows me to easily prepare meals for my daughter while my wife is at work,” said Mr. Smith. “Accessibility equals independence for people like me. Thanks to the generosity of GE, my life just became so much more simple.”
GE Volunteer Network volunteers from Roper and Louisville helped Steps 2 Hope build the new home, in Ringgold, Ga., in early May. The volunteers worked to install all new GE appliances and assisted in the finishing stages of the home build.
“Giving back to the local community is important to GE Appliances, and we were glad to have the opportunity to help someone who has sacrificed so much for our country,” said Keith Green, quality leader at GE Roper Corporation. “Partnering with Steps 2 Hope to give Jason a new home was a rewarding experience and a small way to show our support for veterans by giving back to a very deserving individual.”
The donated appliances, valued at nearly $11,000, included:
GE Profile Series Countertop Microwave Oven with Trim Kit
Monogram Double-Drawer Refrigerator Module
GE Profile Series Slide-In Double Oven Electric Convection Range
GE Profile Series ENERGY STAR French Door Refrigerator
GE ENERGY STAR RightHeight Design Front Load Washer
GE RightHeight Design Front-Load Electric Dryer with Steam
For more information on the GE Volunteers Network, visit gesustainability.com/enabling-progress/ge-volunteers. For more information on Steps 2 Hope, visit steps2hope.com.