Burke LEAF (Law Enforcement Assistance Foundation), located in Morganton, NC is a law enforcement nonprofit collaboration of officers and community citizens who are committed to relieving financial burdens of local law enforcement officers. In December 2023, Investigator, Cody Storie and his family lost their home to a fire. Because of Burke LEAF and a grant from the Homes for Heroes Foundation, some of the burden weighing heavily on Cody and his family following the fire was lifted. Burke LEAF Grant Check Presentation with Jay Flynn The Homes for Heroes Foundation awarded Burke LEAF a $5,000 ..read more

Upstate Warrior Solution is a community-based nonprofit serving military veterans and first responders, plus their families in the upstate of South Carolina. Since 2013, they have served nearly 9,000 warriors and their families with housing, employment, healthcare, education, family support and more. The Homes for Heroes Foundation awarded a grant to Upstate Warrior Solution to assist a law enforcement member and his family after he was shot on a routine traffic stop. Upstate Warrior Solution Grant Check Presentation with Jay Flynn The Homes for Heroes Foundation awarded the Upstate Warrior So ..read more

The Wichita Falls Firefighters Benevolent Fund is committed to providing support to their member firefighters and their families when tough times hit. The Wichita Falls Professional Firefighters Association is composed of the men and women of The City of Wichita Falls, TX Fire Department. The WFPFFA are proud members of the International Association of Fire Fighters as IAFF Local 432, and are members of the Texas State Association of Fire Fighters as well. Wichita Falls Firefighters Benevolent Fund Interview with Jay Flynn The Homes for Heroes Foundation awarded the Wichita Falls Firefighters ..read more

The Georgia Police K9 Foundation is dedicated to providing support and equipment to help K9 officers in Georgia. The Homes for Heroes Foundation awarded the organization a $10,000 hero grant to assist in their mission to support K9 agencies, their K9s and handlers, to assure they are highly trained and equipped to protect and serve their communities; and also receive the support they need in retirement. This Homes for Heroes Foundation grant is part of the Homes for Heroes’ Circle of Giving, providing assistance for heroes in dire need across the country. The Georgia Police K9 Foundation Inter ..read more

It’s easy to get overloaded with information when entering the real estate market, especially if you are a first responder first time home buyer. You are probably very good at handling stress, because that’s part of your job. But the stress that comes from diving into the housing market for the first time is a different brand altogether. It involves loan applications, reams of paperwork, negotiating skills, a basic financial understanding of how loans work and more. None of this is intuitive. Very little of it calls on the skills you use to be successful first responders. So, let’s take a step ..read more

First responder home buying programs are designed to help first responders find and afford a home. They give so much to a community that often the community wants to give back to first responders. Providing good and affordable housing is just one way to say thank you. There are two national home buying programs for first responders (and maybe more coming) who are looking to buy a house. For police officers, fire fighters, or EMS professionals looking to buy a home, these programs are designed for you. Knowing how they work can help you make a decision about which one is right for you. The two ..read more

Companies like to give first responder discounts for the same reason Homes for Heroes gives money saving Hero Rewards to first responders: it feels good to give something back to the folks who give so much to our communities. There are a lot of discounts out there, but there are also a lot of firefighting, EMS, rescue and police (including 911 operators, state troopers, and correctional officers) units. It makes sense that this is a long list. Thanking first responders out there on the front lines on their national days of recognition is great, but these first responder deals are around all ye ..read more

The ability to say “Thank You First Responders” is tricky. Usually, if they have arrived, you are in an emergency situation, so there often isn’t time or opportunity to show your appreciation. Often folks go back, after the emergency, to thank individual or whole crews of rescuers. And that’s great. First responders such as police officers, EMS workers and firefighters really love to get those notes and tokens of gratitude from the people they have rescued. We can, of course, do more. Homes for Heroes thinks we should show appreciation for first responders on a community or national level. We ..read more

Among the mortgage loan programs for first responders, there are two existing initiatives (and one proposed change) that you should keep an eye on. They work together or separately. If you are a first responder–police officer, EMS professional or firefighter–looking to buy a home, these discounted home loan programs for first responders are designed for you. Knowing how they work is a good step in the right direction of finding a home. The two-plus programs are: Good Neighbor Next Door Homes for Heroes New: The HELPER Act Good Neighbor Next Door One of the mortgage loan program for first res ..read more

Saving money on a first responder refinance can be a great help if you know what you are doing. Refinancing is a unique real estate transaction because it doesn’t involve buying a house or selling a house. At face value, it looks like you and your mortgage broker are just shuffling numbers around. At the end of the shuffling, however, your monthly mortgage may be dramatically decreased OR you may have a chunk of money (if it’s a cash out refinance) to use for home improvements. You may have heard a lot about first responder mortgage programs, such as the Good Neighbor Next Door program (from U ..read more