Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) raised over $400,000 during its 4th Annual Veterans Day Celebrity Auction on eBay from Nov. 10-17, 2020. Jake Tapper, George Clooney, Mindy Kaling, and Wynonna Judd headlined the event to support HFOT. In partnership with eBay for Charity, participants bid on personal Zoom experiences, luxury items, and autographed memorabilia from various movie stars, musicians, and sports figures, while helping HFOT’s mission of building and donating specially adapted custom homes for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans, enabling them to rebuild their lives.
CNN’s Jake Tapper, a longtime HFOT supporter and mission ambassador, enlisted the help of friends, namely movie stars and entertainment icons, to arrange an extensive assortment of auction items. There was tremendous support from over 120 celebrities donating items with over 7,500 bids placed. Tapper’s fellow Celebrity Auction co-host and actor George Clooney, generously donated his OMEGA Globemaster Watch to auction off and former world No. 1 professional tennis player Andy Roddick auctioned off a personal tennis lesson for three people, which was the highest bid item at $20,100. “I was honored to join the lineup for this year’s Celebrity Auction for the first time. HFOT is an extraordinary organization that provides injured Veterans with the life-changing gift of an adapted home and I am glad I was able to help this worthy cause.” – Andy Roddick.
“I’m so excited to have played a role in this auction alongside my co-hosts. We were concerned that because the global pandemic has precluded so many in-person activities, not to mention the devastating economic impact, that we might not have been able to raise as much this year. Thankfully, because of the very generous offers from so many actors, writers, athletes and more, and because of the generosity of participants, we raised more this year than ever before. So many people came together to help injured Veterans know: we care about you, we owe you, and we love you. “ – Jake Tapper.
The amount raised will go toward building more specially adapted custom homes for deserving Veterans across the country. Since its inception in 2004, HFOT has built and donated 312 homes in 42 states and has over 60 builds underway nationwide. Based on recent survey results from HFOT, over 95 percent of Veterans saw a reduction in household stress after receiving their adapted homes and over 90 percent report regaining much of their freedom and independence. HFOT Veterans saw a 99.5 percent increase in employment rate once in their homes, the increase was even higher for spouses/caregivers with a 285 percent increase. “We are ecstatic to have completed another successful auction with Jake Tapper and his team,” says HFOT President Tom Landwermeyer. “The funds raised through this event will truly make an impact in our mission of Building Homes and Rebuilding Lives. These homes enable severely injured Veterans to live independently and move forward in their recovery.”