Uneven heating, a temperamental water heater, and no air conditioning – Victor Bailey’s move to his first Hudson Valley home wasn’t all sunshine and roses.

Still, as a U.S. Army Veteran with a family of five kids, Bailey simply couldn’t afford to make the upgrades to the home he purchased in the Hamlet of Wallkill three years ago.

“We had to use space heaters in the winters, we were sweltering in the summers, and my water heater gave me continuous problems,” said Bailey, who was deployed to Iraq for a year during Operation Iraqi Freedom while serving in the Reserves for a decade. Bailey completed his service in 2004. “I had to reset the water heater all the time, and change its filter every three weeks.”

While searching the internet for possible solutions, Bailey came across Purple Heart Homes, a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to providing safe, barrier-free housing solutions for service-connected disabled and aging veterans. Thinking it was a long shot, Bailey submitted his application for support, and waited. And waited.

A year later, Bailey’s patience finally paid off: Purple Heart Homes agreed to take on the project with the help of Hudson Valley-based Nebrasky Plumbing, Heating & Cooling (Nebrasky), and several other generous local service providers.

Not long after, Bailey and his family received a brand new heat pump system, water heater, water softener, and well tank, completely free of cost. Making this possible were service and/or product discounts offered by Nebrasky, The Home Depot, electrician Dave Pulliam, N&S Supply, and Carrier HVAC Systems, with Purple Heart Homes covering all remaining out-of-pocket costs.

“We reached out to improve our living conditions, and Purple Heart Homes made that happen 100-fold,” Bailey said. “We are incredibly grateful for its generosity and its support.”

Purple Heart Homes, located in Statesville, North Carolina, was founded in 2008 by combat-wounded veterans and friends John Gallina and the late Dale Beatty. Their own service to our country opened their eyes to the lack of resources available for veterans, prompting them to create an organization focused on providing services to disabled, honorably discharged veterans. Since then, Purple Heart Homes has completed well over 1,000 related projects, thanks to the support and funding provided by The Home Depot Foundation and several other invaluable community partners.

“When we bring local communities together to ensure veterans like Victor have safe, healthy, and accessible housing, we magnify our impact,” said Purple Heart Homes CEO and Co-Founder John Gallina. “With local businesses like Nebrasky stepping up to contribute their services to these projects, we can serve even more veterans.”

Gallina added: “These men and women have already given so much to their country and communities, and now we’re able to give something back to them.”

This is the first Purple Heart Homes project on which Nebrasky was involved, but it certainly won’t be the last, according to Nebrasky owner Paul Nebrasky.

“We hope to continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our veterans and contribute to the valuable work that Purple Heart Homes undertakes on a daily basis,” said Nebrasky, whose father-in-law is a U.S. Army veteran. “As a veteran, Mr. Bailey has made tremendous sacrifices for our country, and it’s an honor to give something back to him and his loved ones.”

Bailey’s new system was installed in just three days by Nebrasky, whose team coordinated the job from start to finish and worked to secure all of the discounts from which the Bailey family benefited.

“The Nebrasky crew was very efficient and tidy, even hauling away everything from the old system,” Bailey said. “The process was so smooth, and this new system is so much smaller!”

He added: “Thanks to Purple Heart Homes, Nebrasky, and others, we are looking forward to having a better, cooler, more comfortable summer.” 

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About Nebrasky Plumbing, Heating & Cooling: Located in Monroe, New York, Nebrasky Plumbing, Heating & Cooling has provided exceptional service for more than 30 years, and has made customer satisfaction its priority since 1988. Nebrasky proudly handles all phases of commercial and residential plumbing, heating, cooling, home energy assessments, generators, and more, including installation and repairs. Nebrasky also conducts air quality and carbon monoxide tests throughout Orange County, New York, Dutchess County, New York, Rockland County, New York and the entire Hudson Valley. For more information, visit nebraskyplumbing.com or call 1-800-796-6853.