PHOTOS: U.S. Senator Gary Peters Visits Home of Michigan Veteran After Connecting Him with Local Non-Profit to Replace Aging Roof at No Cost

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) visited the home of Chris Temple, a Grand Rapids veteran to celebrate the collaborative efforts of Senator Peters’ office and Home Repair Services, a local non-profit organization, that resulted in making critically needed repairs to the veteran’s home.

“Within a day of reaching out to Senator Peters, I was connected to the team at Home Repair Services who assisted me with these critical repairs,” said Temple. “I want to thank Senator Peters and his staff for making my request a priority, and for working alongside local partners to make sure I got the help I needed.”

Earlier this year, United States Marine Corps and Army National Guard veteran Chris Temple wrote a letter to Senator Peters seeking assistance to make city mandated improvements to his home’s roof. After hearing about Temple’s situation, Peters’ Grand Rapids staff notified local government, veteran, and non-profit groups to see what assistance was available. Home Repair Services quickly stepped up to make necessary roof repairs to help Temple avoid possible eviction. In all, nearly $17,000 in improvements were made to the house as part of Home Repair Services’ Veteran Heroes Program. Peters and Temple were joined by representatives from Home Repair Services who highlighted their Veterans Heroes Program, which offers home improvement assistance to United States military veterans across Kent County.

“When veterans like Chris return home from service, it's our job as Americans to honor the incredible sacrifice they made to protect our freedoms,” said Senator Peters. “I couldn’t be more proud of the role my office played in getting Chris the help he needed, and it was great to join him today to celebrate the collaborative efforts that helped get this job done.”

During the event, Peters also encouraged Michigan residents to reach out to his office for constituent casework services, just as Temple did for help with his roof repairs. Acting as a liaison between constituents and the federal government, caseworkers on Peters staff can often help answer your questions, provide assistance with a federal agency, or connect you to local services. To learn more about casework services, click here.

To download photos from the event, click here. 

###