Billy Joel Makes $500,000 Donation to Help Build Specially Adapted Homes for Our Severely Injured Service Members

Net proceeds of his new song "Christmas in Fallujah" performed by Cass Dillon help rebuild the lives of wounded troops.

(PRWEB) January 25, 2008 -- Homes for Our Troops announces the donation of $500,000 from Billy Joel, the legendary singer, songwriter, composer and performer. The donation was generated by his new song titled "Christmas in Fallujah." This song was made available in December exclusively for download on the iTunes store and is performed by artist Cass Dillon.

Billy Joel has been a supporter of Homes for Our Troops for several years. At Christmastime, Billy Joel sent his annual donation on behalf of close friends to the national non-profit organization that provides specially adapted homes for our severely injured troops. This year, the donation was substantially larger.

"Billy has been a supporter of ours for years; this donation was more than we could've hoped for. Because of this generous donation, we will be able to take several service members off of our waiting list and get them into homes that will enable them to live more independent lives. I recently had a chance to meet Billy and he told me that he was compelled to write a song in reaction to the many letters he has received from service members overseas."

When asked what his thoughts were about our injured troops coming home and he said, "My fondest wish for the people who have been severely wounded is to find some degree normalcy as they go on with their lives. I am moved by their optimism and I admire their spirit and determination and hope they can retain that as they go through the rest of their lives."

View the new video about Billy Joel and his contribution to Homes for Our Troops can be viewed on their website at www.homesforourtroops.org

About the Homes Built by Homes for Our Troops
The homes built by Homes for Our Troops provide the primary benefit of giving the veteran a handicap accessible home specially designed to meet the challenges faced due to the veteran's disabilities. But as importantly, we take the burden of finding an appropriate home off the shoulders of the veteran and his or her family at this disruptive point in their lives, which helps to promote a more stable future and a better chance for physical and emotional recovery. These homes also give back to the veterans some of the personal independence they lost due to their injuries and it allows the family to deal with their day to day challenges in a home specially adapted to their specific needs.

About Homes for Our Troops
Homes for Our Troops was founded in 2004 by contractor John Gonsalves when he wanted to find an organization to volunteer his 20 years experience as a contractor to help our wounded veterans with their home modification needs. He found that no organization existed to help our severely disabled veterans in that way, so he founded Homes for Our Troops. Since that time, Mr. Gonsalves and the Homes for Our Troops organization have worked nationwide to complete and/or commit to 38 home building/renovation projects which means that 38 wounded service members and their families have or will soon have a home they can call their own -- a home suited to their difficult physical needs arising as a result of their sacrificing for our country.

"Our motto is, essentially, 'Homes for Our Troops'," John Gonsalves says. "It's not a (politically) left thing, it's not a right thing, it's the right thing. As Americans, we have a responsibility to these soldiers and their families."

*The services provided by Homes for Our Troops is done at no cost to the veterans they serve.

Media Contact Information:
For more information please contact John Gonsalves, john@homesforourtroops.org or at 508-331-2266 or Kirt Rebello, krebello@homesforourtroops.org or at 774-226-6922 or at the office 508-823-3300.

For high resolution images, please contact Dawn Teixeira at dawn@homesforourtroops.org or 508-823-3300 ext 201

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