Hometown Heroes Ball

Hometown Heroes Ball November 7, 2025 at Levine Senior Center

Did you know that veterans are 50% more likely to be homeless than other Americans?! All monies raised from this event will be used to assist us in building the first truly affordable housing community for our nations heroes!

Our Hometown Heroes Ball is going to be a night to remember! Join us for an unforgettable evening as we honor one special hometown hero and raise funds to build the first truly affordable housing community for our nation's heroes.

Want to know what to expect? We will have an open bar, silent auction, sit down dinner, guest speakers, and we will be honoring one special hometown hero!

Want to nominate someone to be the honored Hometown Hero? It's easy send a letter to rachel@homeagainclt.org and let us know all about your hero, let us know what they did in the service, what they did outside of the service, and anything else that makes your hero special to you! The honored guest will be selected from our panel and the one honoree selected will be awarded at the event (if the hero has passed then the one nominating will receive the award).

A message from our Executive Director

Get Involved and become a Sponsor

Hello,

I'm Rick Gilbert, Executive Director and Founder, of Home Again Foundation. Home Again Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing sustainable, affordable housing with supportive services for the homeless and those who are at risk of becoming homeless. At Home Again Foundation we believe everyone deserves a safe place to call home, the dignity of a new beginning, and the hope for a brighter future! This year we have tasked ourselves to build the first truly affordable housing community for our nations heroes. It is truly unfortunate that those who have served our nation are also considered our most housing insecure individuals.

Did you know that our nations heroes are 50% more likely to be unsheltered than any other American? There are more than 58,000 accounted for homeless and about 1.5 million veterans are considered at-risk of homelessness in the United States. They risked their lives for our country, yet each night tens of thousands of veterans are sleeping in shelters, in their car, or on the street. Across the country, there are more than 58,000 homeless veterans, a staggering number that former First Lady Michelle Obama called “a stain on the soul of this nation,” during a speech at the National Alliance to End Homelessness Annual Conference in Washington, D.C.

"But as Americans, the idea that anyone who has worn our country’s uniform spends their nights sleeping on the ground should horrify us."

And so it is truly our duty to right this wrong and put an end to veteran homelessness, once and for all. But that moral and patriotic duty is only part of the reason why ending veteran homelessness is so critical. As we all know, ending homelessness for our veterans can also be a crucial first step -- a proof point -- to show that we can end homelessness for everyone in this country, too.

We are hosting our second annual Hometown Heroes Ball November 7, 2025, at The Levine Senior Center in Matthews NC. During this event we will also be honoring one special hometown hero from the community, last year's hero was 101 year-old Charles "Chuck" Richardson a veteran that flew 35 missions during World War 2. The hometown hero will be selected from letters nominating military heroes that were sent in. If you would like to nominate a hometown hero please send a letter to rachel@homeagainclt.org explaining why your hero deserves this honor.

Would you be able to assist us with this event? All donations are tax deductible as we are a 501(c)3 nonprofit. All proceeds go towards land acquisition, land development, construction of cottages, and our service program.

If you have further questions, please reach out to our Director of Marketing and Communications Rachel Cody at rachel@homeagainclt.org.

Thank you for your support and consideration,

Rick Gilbert

Executive Director

Home Again Foundation

7427 Matthews Mint Hill Rd

Charlotte NC 28227

704.241.2003

www.homeagainclt.org

Tax ID: 83-0931278

Nominate Your Hometown Hero Today

Who is a Hometown Hero

For Home Again Foundation’s Hometown Hero- it’s an individual who has served in the military or are currently serving and are recognized for their bravery, sacrifice, and contributions, both during and after their service. This can encompass acts of valor in combat, but also extends to those who continue to serve their communities, overcome personal challenges, or advocate for fellow veterans. The core requirement is that the individual has served in the U.S. military and must either be actively serving, have received an honorable discharge, or have died in the line of duty.

Veterans/Active Service who have demonstrated extraordinary courage, bravery, and sacrifice in combat are often celebrated as heroes

This includes those who have received medals for valor, like the Medal of Honor, or who have performed acts of heroism that may not be formally recognized but are widely acknowledged
Examples include those who risked their lives to save others during combat, or who continued to fight despite injuries

The term also applies to those who continue to serve their communities after leaving the military or while serving

This can include those who work with other veterans, volunteering their time and expertise to support fellow service members
Some become advocates for veteran's rights and benefits, working to improve the lives of those who have served
Other may use their skills and experiences to make a positive impact in various fields, such as education, business, or community service

Nominate your hero today to become Home Again Foundation’s second Hometown Hero on November 7, 2025 at the Hometown Heroes Ball.