STATESVILLE, N.C., Oct. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WASHINGTON, D.C. — Seven days. More than 600 volunteers. One permanent home for a Veteran in need. Purple Heart Homes (PHH) has completed its historic National Mall Veteran Home Build, transforming an empty build site on the nation’s front lawn into a fully completed, 480-square-foot modular home for 76-year-old Marine Corps Veteran James “Jim” Taylor.
The first-of-its-kind public build brought together Veterans, volunteers, skilled trades professionals, corporate and community partners, and visitors to the National Mall as part of the commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary. Beginning with framing and ending with a completed home ready for transport, the project put Purple Heart Homes’ mission on full display while calling national attention to the housing challenges facing America’s Veterans. More than 600 volunteers participated over the course of the project.
“This week showed what can happen when people come together around a shared commitment to those who served our country,” said John Gallina, Co-Founder and CEO of Purple Heart Homes. “We started with an idea: build a home in one of the most visible places in America and use it to remind the country that honoring our Veterans means more than saying thank you. Seven days later, that home is finished, and is now a permanent home for a veteran in need. That is mission accomplished and I could not be more grateful to every volunteer, partner and supporter who made this possible.”
The build officially kicked off September 29 with an opening ceremony on the National Mall, followed immediately by full structural framing. Over the days that followed, crews installed plumbing, electrical and other mechanical systems before moving to painting, flooring, cabinetry, interior finish work and final inspections.
Throughout the week, the construction site became a gathering place where members of the public could join firsthand in the work that goes into creating safe, accessible housing for Veterans. One of the week’s most important moments came when Taylor visited the site and saw the home that would become his own.
Taylor served in the U.S. Marine Corps from December 1969 to December 1971, attaining the rank of Corporal while stationed at Camp Pendleton, California. A New York native, he later moved to North Carolina to be closer to family. For the past 18 months, he has lived in transitional Veteran housing operated by Fifth Street Ministries, where he has also given back to the community by volunteering in its kitchen, which serves approximately 65 people each day. Taylor’s new Purple Heart Homes residence represents the next step in that journey: from transitional housing to permanent homeownership.
“Watching this home rise from the ground over the course of seven days was remarkable, but this project was never simply about building a structure,” said Steven Johnson, Executive Director of Purple Heart Homes. “It was about building a pathway to independence for Jim and showing what is possible when nonprofits, businesses, skilled trades professionals, Veterans and communities work together. The moment Jim saw his new home for the first time is what this entire week was about.”
Taylor was selected through a nomination and review process in partnership with Fifth Street Ministries. After completion, the home was transported to donated land in Glasgow, where it will be placed on a permanent foundation. A newly formed Purple Heart Homes chapter in Rockbridge County will also support Taylor as he settles into his new community.
Following the October 5 closing ceremony and final unveiling, the completed home left Washington for the final leg of its journey to Glasgow, Virginia. As the home approached Glasgow, members of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association (CVMA) escorted it for the final 10 miles to its permanent location on Shawnee Street, where community members, supporters and local residents welcomed it home.
The arrival provided a fitting conclusion to a journey that began on one of the country’s most visible public spaces and ended in the Virginia community where its impact will ultimately be felt most.
“What happened on the National Mall was meant to get America’s attention. What happens in Glasgow is why we did it,” Gallina added. “Jim now has a place that is his own—a place where he can live safely and independently. When the cameras are gone and the build site on the Mall is cleared, that impact remains. That is the legacy we hope this project leaves behind.”
Purple Heart Homes thanked the hundreds of individuals and organizations whose contributions of funding, materials, expertise, time and labor made the National Mall Veteran Home Build possible.
The Home Depot Foundation served as the project’s Cornerstone Partner, with additional support from Owens Corning, Fox Corporation, FOX Sports, Cheyenne International, Bank of Botetourt, Veterans Guardian, Mohawk, County of Rockbridge, and Eglin Federal Credit Union.
“Every wall that went up, every floorboard that went down and every finishing touch represented someone choosing to serve a Veteran who once chose to serve all of us,” Johnson said. “We are deeply thankful to every partner and every person who stepped forward. This was truly a community effort.”
The National Mall project was Purple Heart Homes’ largest and most visible undertaking in more than 15 years of providing housing solutions for Veterans. The organization has completed more than 1,800 projects nationwide and serves service-connected disabled and senior Veterans across all 50 states and Puerto Rico.
WATCH THE BUILD FROM THE GROUND-UP IN THIS TWO-MINUTE VIDEO
ABOUT PURPLE HEART HOMES
Co-founded by two combat-wounded veterans, Purple Heart Homes has been bringing communities together to provide safe, barrier-free housing solutions for qualified veterans since 2008. PHH has completed more than 1,800 projects for veterans nationwide and serves service-connected disabled and aging senior veterans across all 50 states and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit Purple Heart Homes.
Attachments
- Purple Heart Homes team stands proudly in front of completed home build on National Mall
- Marine Veteran James "Jim" Taylor on site at the National Mall to watch Purple Heart Homes construct his new home
Mike Burita Burita Media Solutions, on behalf of Purple Heart Homes 202-420-9361 mike@buritamedia.com