Miracles Worked By "Heroes At Home"

Organization Helps Keep Roofs Over Heads Of Military Families

(CBS)  Christmas came early this year for the Vanderwerts, of New Prague, Minn., thanks to a national program that reaches out to help military families.

As CBS News correspondent Cynthia Bowers reports, Jon Vanderwert's National Guard unit was sent to Iraq in August. It's his second combat tour.

But his family was left to cope with a house badly in need of repair.

His departure forced the postponement for a year of his plans to rehab the fixer-upper he and wife Blake bought for their large family.

"I didn't know what to do, where to turn, who to talk to," Blake told Bowers.

There was so little insulation, the kitchen felt almost as cold to their 12-year-old son, Michael, as the weather outside.

"I have this big cup," Michael says, "and I was filling it with water, and I set it down in the sink . . . and about five minutes later, I come in the kitchen and the water was frozen."

But volunteers beat the Minnesota winter to the punch.

Blake reached out to the non-profit "Rebuilding Together," whose Twin Cities executive director, Kathy Greiner, brought together volunteers who are the heart and soul of their community.

"I don't even have words for it," Greiner says. "Every time we turn around, someone is coming up to us, offering donations."

Local companies pitched in with electrical work, lumber, insulation, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and appliances.

Blake hasn't had to write a check yet.

Rebuilding Together's Web site explains that it works in conjunction with "Heroes at Home."

The site says, "Heroes at Home is a program of Sears Holdings in partnership with Rebuilding Together, the nation’s largest volunteer-based provider of home repair services. Heroes at Home assists the families of military personnel and veterans by providing critical repairs and renovations for their homes, such as modifications necessary for disabled veterans. Founded in 1988, Rebuilding Together has rehabilitated 105,020 homes and nonprofit facilities, involving 2.5 million volunteers committing to 24 million hours of volunteer time."

Blake told Bowers Heroes at Home "basically saved our family."

New Prague Mayor Bink Bender marvels, "It's an absolutely good example of where I think many hands working together end up creating a miracle -- for this family, for sure."

All Blake wanted was a little help with heating, some sheetrock and a bathroom door but, Points out Bowers, she'll end up pretty much with a completely renovated house.

"All of my wishes, basically, have come true," Blake says.

The Vanderwerts hope to move into their cozy home after New Year's Day.

To find out more about "Heroes at Home" and "Rebuilding Together," and to make a donation, click here.

[cassandra619]

i think the only person so far to be pitied is a2008srviver.

even if his snap judgment (absent much in the way of facts to make such judgment) were correct re: the husband, it seems to me that no children should have to suffer because of the parents God chose them to have.

In any case, i prefer to render this judgment: every parent loves his/her children enormously, and does the best of his/her ability to care for them.

[cassandra619]

i think the only person so far to be pitied is a2008srviver.

even if his snap judgment (absent much in the way of facts to make such judgment) were correct re: the husband, it seems to me that no children should have to suffer because of the parents God chose them to have.

In any case, i prefer to render this judgment: every parent loves his/her children enormously, and does the best of his/her ability to care for them.

[matsoon]

What kind of person writes such negative comments about such a positive story? The first commenter, a2008srvivor, acts like they know how this family''s situation came about. A soldier is fighting in the name of his country and what it stands for, and some very nice people in the commmunity perform the greatest gesture this family has ever seen. What could possibly be negative about that? This family has obviously suffered through some hardship and it doesn''t reallly matter why; they are citizens of this great country trying to make their way like everyone else, and some very compassionate people gave them a chance, a chance a lot of us would like to have. Obviously this cannot be done for every needy family, but instead of displaying jealousy and bitterness, we should encourage this family to make the most of their "second chance", and take a look at some of the positive things we can offer others, regardless of the size of scope. In other words, do what you can to help others, no matter how small, and find a way to keep the negative feelings to yourself. I have a feeling the husband is sleeping very well at night these days, while a2008srvivor is the one tossing and turning all night long. Congratulations to the Vanderwert family!

[a2008srvivor]

What kind of husband leaves his family in such a deteriorated place? A lot of us have gone to war and get compensated for it. He could have at least put his family up in an apartment instead of putting them through that and have them be a source of pity for others.....I hope he can sleep at night knowing this.