NEWS RELEASE
December 6, 2016

Hayden Homes Employees Build Wheelchairs for Vets in Need
50 wheelchairs donated to deserving veterans in Northwest

(Redmond, Ore.)—In what was part team-building exercise and part philanthropy project, employees of Redmond, Ore.-based Hayden Homes worked together on Veterans Day this past November to build 50 wheelchairs for Northwest veterans facing mobility challenges.
Approximately 270 Hayden Homes employees from across the Northwest gathered for the company’s annual meeting on Nov. 11 to participate in the Build-a-Wheelchair® event, a team-building social responsibility program born out of a desire to help American veterans with mobility challenges. Small groups of Hayden Homes team members worked together to assemble, test and decorate the new wheelchairs before engaging in an obstacle course maneuverability challenge.
“It’s not by chance that Hayden Homes team members are a generous group of individuals,” said Steve Klingman, president of Hayden Homes. “We’re committed to hiring people who believe that a fulfilling life starts with the spirit of generosity. When we unveiled the wheelchair-building challenge, our team members enthusiastically rolled up their sleeves to help make life a little easier for deserving veterans who may be struggling back home.”
After completion, the 50 wheelchairs were distributed to five Northwest regions in which Hayden Homes does business, including the Willamette Valley, Central Oregon, the Tri-Cities/Walla Walla area in Washington, the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene areas in Washington and North Idaho, and the Treasure Valley in southwestern Idaho.
Hayden Homes then partnered with local veterans outreach and advocacy groups in each region to identify 10 veterans in need.
According to Disabled American Veterans, the number of veterans with service-related injuries and illnesses has skyrocketed to more than 3.6 million men and women today, up from 2 million just 12 years ago. By the year 2020, the number is expected to grow to 4 million.
“The wheelchairs being donated could not have come at a better time,” said Paul Neville, director of public relations for St. Vincent de Paul in Lane County, Ore. “We have several veterans who are suffering from serious medical conditions and struggle to make it here to us without assistance. Wheelchairs are needed, but we often cannot afford to provide this necessity. The gift of these wheelchairs will provide an opportunity for a better life for many deserving veterans.”
Build-a-Wheelchair® is an original program from Best Corporate Events, the country’s largest corporate team-building company.
 
About Hayden Homes
Hayden Homes, the largest privately held homebuilder in the Northwest, has been building high-quality value-driven homes throughout the Northwest for nearly 30 years. The organization supports local communities by employing local contractors and vendors and contributing annually to philanthropic efforts in the communities in which they build. Since 1989, Hayden Homes contributed more than $9 million to charitable donations with the flagship of their giving through the 501C3 Non-Profit, First Story (www.firststory.com). The Hayden Homes brand family of companies – Simplicity by Hayden Homes (www.simplicity-homes.com), Wise Size Homes (www.wisesizehomes.com) and Hayden Homes (www.hayden-homes.com) – have built in over 200 communities and in over 50 cities and towns throughout Washington, Oregon and Idaho.
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