Himan

Patricia Himan, mother of wounded warrior Joshua Himan; Joshua’s brother Jake Himan; Coles District Supervisor Martin Nohe; Cmdr. Kevin Cheezum, USM, Retired and Sr. VP of Azalea Charities; Frank Lasch, Chairman of Azalea Charities, Rod Caulkins, Owner of Caulkins Construction; Jacob Koch, President of No VA Fuller Center for Housing; Kim Munoz, Executive Director of the Quality of Life Foundation; Silvana Ellis, Family Partnering Director for No VA Fuller Center; and Lt General Ron Coleman, USMC, Retired, of Azalea Charities gathered Monday in the footprint of a planned addition to the Himan family home in Woodbridge. Azalea Charities presented a check for $10,000 to the No VA Fuller Center, a local nonprofit seeking support for the project to make the home accessible, safe and ready for Joshua’s return home from Walter Reed Hospital in March.

PRESS RELEASE    

Fuller House

For More Information:
Jacob Koch, President
Northern Virginia Fuller Center for Housing
571-225-6383

Local Nonprofits, Contractor and Community Launch Project to Donate Home Addition
for Wounded Warrior's Family

(Woodbridge, VA) – Representatives of the Northern Virginia Fuller Center for Housing, Azalea Charities, the Quality of Life Foundation, Caulkins Construction and the Prince William County Coles District Supervisor joined the family of U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Joshua Himan at their Orangewood Drive home today to announce plans to build an addition that will make caring for Joshua easier when he is released from Walter Reed Hospital in March.

Joshua, 26, was left paralyzed from the chest down when his Humvee hit an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan in September 2009. At that moment, the lives of his parents, Jerry and Patricia, also changed forever. Patricia quit her job to care for her son, and their multilevel home needs modifications to make it safe, accessible and ready for Joshua’s return.

The Northern Virginia Fuller Center for Housing is raising funds, securing subcontractors, and coordinating volunteers to build an addition that meets the Himan’s needs: an accessible bathroom for easy bathing, wide doorways and hallways to allow for easy transport, and a master suite with sufficient space for Joshua.

Azalea Charities and the Quality of Life Foundation, two local nonprofits that provide aid and support to wounded warriors and their families, are working with the Fuller Center on this project. Rod Caulkins, owner of Caulkins Construction, will serve as the pro bono general contractor. The team gathered with the Himan family and Coles District Supervisor Martin E. Nohe today for a photo op at the site where the staked-out addition will be built.

“Remaking this home is truly an honor for our organization,” said Jacob Koch, President of No VA Fuller Center. "We’ve had a positive response from the community, but we still need more sponsors, additional contractor support -- such as a foundation contractor and a paving company -- and of course volunteers to help complete the project."

Frank Lasch, Chairman and founder of Azalea Charities, presented a $10,000 check to the No VA Fuller Center at today’s event.

“Azalea Charities, through our relationship with the Quality of Life Foundation, recognizes the needs of caregivers like the Himan Family,” said Lasch. “On behalf of Azalea Charities and all our supporters we thank the Himan family for their service to our country. We are proud to begin our support with a $10,000 contribution and we look forward to other businesses and communities joining us in this project."

“Once Joshua comes home and his family begins helping him regain as much independence as possible, they may find they could use some extra help to manage their day to day responsibilities and take good care of themselves,” added Kim Munoz, Executive Director of the Quality of Life Foundation. “Our Wounded Warrior Family Care Program stands ready to provide a locally-based, personal resource coordinator to address any quality of life needs they may have. We focus on the family members as they focus on their wounded warrior.”

Coles District Supervisor Martin Nohe said, "Prince William County is proud to have heroes like Lance Corporal Himan in our community and this project provides an excellent opportunity to thank him for his service and to honor the sacrifice he has made for our nation. I would encourage all Prince William County residents and businesses to help make this project a success."
 
To volunteer time, make a contribution, or donate material that makes a lasting difference for the Himan family and the local community, please contact Robert Lang at (703) 221-7065 or send an email to volunteers@novafullercenter.org.

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