Serving Those Who Serve Assists Severely-Injured Veterans With $1.2 Million
in Grants From Countrywide Financial Corporation
CIBOLO, Texas, Feb. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Rebuilding
Together(R), the nation's largest volunteer home rehabilitation
organization, is providing modifications and repairs at the home of
Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran Christopher Edwards through its Serving
Those Who Serve(SM) program today. Countrywide(R) Financial Corporation,
America's #1 home loan lender*, has contributed more than $1.2 million as
the founding sponsor of a nationwide program that provides free home
modifications to severely-injured soldiers and veterans returning from
Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
"It's comforting to know that the sacrifices I made for this country
are appreciated and that appreciation makes what I am going through worth
it," stated Sgt. Edwards. "My wife and I are grateful for the work
Rebuilding Together and Countrywide are doing at our home."
Volunteers from Countrywide and Rebuilding Together-San Antonio are
joining with local contractors and vendors to assist Sgt. Edwards and his
family.
"Rebuilding Together is proud to be working with our San Antonio
affiliate to assist Sgt. Edwards," said Gary Officer, president and CEO of
Rebuilding Together. "Veterans and soldiers like Sgt. Edwards have
sacrificed so much for our country, and with this generous grant from
Countrywide Financial Corporation, we are making this house and many more
homes safe and accessible for soldiers injured during service abroad."
In early 2005, Sgt. Edwards was stationed in the Sunni Triangle in
Iraq, where his unit went on daily security patrols throughout the region.
That April, Sgt. Edwards volunteered to fill in for an ill soldier and was
sent to investigate reports of insurgents planting bombs. While riding in
his M2A2 Bradley fighting vehicle, Sgt. Edwards and his group came to a
dirt-covered bridge. While crossing the bridge a 500 pound bomb exploded
beneath his vehicle, igniting the gun turret where Sgt. Edwards stood and
setting fire to the vehicle and Sgt. Edwards. He was pushed out of the
burning vehicle by his platoon sergeant and made it to a canal near the
bridge where he extinguished himself in six inches of water. The explosion
left Sgt. Edwards with third degree burns covering 79 percent of his body.
"In the debate over ongoing military operations in Iraq and
Afghanistan, we must not forget the individual American heroes who are
serving our nation, and particularly those, like Sgt. Edwards, who have
come home with life-changing injuries," said Robert Power, executive vice
president of public affairs for Countrywide. "Through private contributions
to Rebuilding Together, from Countrywide and others, Serving Those Who
Serve honors our forces and lets them know the nation will not forget their
sacrifice."
Sgt. Edwards, his wife Tammy and their young son Riley live in a
two-story home just outside of San Antonio in Cibolo, Texas. Rebuilding
Together's Serving Those Who Serve program is improving accessibility in
the home by providing modifications that include remodeling the master
bathroom with a zero entry shower; installing ceiling fans, mini blinds,
lever door handles and a wheelchair ramp; painting and landscaping.
"Chris and I are both thankful for the support Rebuilding Together and
Countrywide have shown for injured veterans," stated Tammy Edwards. "The
assistance they are providing in helping us to modify our home is wonderful
and will help to ease some of the stress in daily activities."
The Feb. 24th ceremony will feature presentations from Gary Officer,
president and CEO of Rebuilding Together; Rep. Henry Cuellar, 28th
Congressional District; Texas State Rep. Edmund Kuempel, District 44; Joan
Headley, executive director, Rebuilding Together-San Antonio; Robert Power,
executive vice president of public affairs for Countrywide; and Homeowners
Christopher and Tammy Edwards.
Previous Serving Those Who Serve projects have been completed in
Rosedale, Md.; Manassas Park, Va.; Birmingham, Ala.; Clinton, Md.; Miramar,
Fla.; Houston, Texas; and Lake View Terrace, Calif.
For further information about the Serving Those Who Serve program or to
make a contribution online, go to http://www.ServingThoseWhoServe.org.
About Countrywide
In 2007, Countrywide Financial Corporation (NYSE: CFC) is celebrating
its tenth anniversary as a national sponsor of Rebuilding Together.
Countrywide is a member of the S&P 500, Forbes Global 2000 and Fortune 500.
Through its family of companies, Countrywide provides mortgage-centric
financial services. Mortgage banking businesses include loan production and
loan servicing principally through Countrywide Home Loans, Inc., which
originates, purchases, securitizes, sells, and services prime and nonprime
loans; and loan closing services provided by the LandSafe group of
companies. Diversified financial services encompass banking, capital
markets and insurance, largely through the activities of Countrywide Bank,
N.A., a bank offering depository and home loan products; Countrywide
Capital Markets, a mortgage-related investment banker with offices in the
U.S., U.K. and Japan; Balboa Life and Casualty Group, whose companies are
national providers of property, life and casualty insurance; and Balboa
Reinsurance, a captive mortgage reinsurance company. Headquartered in
Calabasas, California, Countrywide has a global work force of 55,000 and
more than 1,000 offices. For more information about the company, visit
Countrywide's website at http://www.countrywide.com.
About Rebuilding Together
Rebuilding Together is America's largest volunteer-based organization
preserving and revitalizing houses and communities, and assuring that
low-income homeowners, particularly those who are elderly and disabled and
families with children live in warmth, safety and independence. Our goal is
to make a sustainable impact in partnership with the community. For more
information, visit http://www.rebuildingtogether.org.
About Serving Those Who SERVE
Rebuilding Together's Serving Those Who SERVE was developed to meet the
needs of injured soldiers and veterans returning from Operation Enduring
Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. We focus on providing home
modifications and repairs to help ease the transition of the veteran or
soldier back into their home after a life altering injury. The projects
focus on the rehabilitation of their homes to help make them safer, more
comfortable and to improve the quality of life for the veteran or soldier
by helping them live with greater independence and improved mobility. The
projects will not only modify the home; we believe it will help the
individual, the family, and the community to heal. Serving Those Who SERVE
focuses on helping veterans who suffer from one or any combination of four
injuries including loss of sight, loss of hearing, mobility impairments,
and traumatic brain injury.
* As ranked for 2006 by Inside Mortgage Finance, Feb. 2, 2007, (C) 2007
SOURCE Rebuilding Together; Countrywide Financial Corporation
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Related links:
http://www.ServingThoseWhoServe.org
http://www.rebuildingtogether.org
http://www.countrywide.com
CONTACT:
Becky Carter, PR and Volunteer Coordinator of
Rebuilding Together, +1-202-518-3111; or Rick Simon, 1st VP,
Corporate Communications, Countrywide, +1-800-796-8448, on site
February 24, +1-818-693-0520
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