Heroes Supporting Heroes non-profit helps hundreds of Pittsburgh-area veterans | KD Sunday Spotlight
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - From the outside of their home, you can see military pride waving in the air for Frank and Sheri Lee. Frank said, "When you've got something you like, you stick with it."
The Mooneys certainly stuck with serving, as a military family. Frank served 31 years in multiple military branches. During his time in the Navy, Uncle Sam sent him to Vietnam.
"From there we went to Da Nang, and that's where I got exposed to Agent Orange," Frank said.
With bone cancer now, mowing the lawn is impossible for Frank.
"What used to be a half-hour job or so, got into about three hours," he explained.
That's where the non-profit Heroes Supporting Heroes comes in.
"We are that extended family. We are those Heroes Supporting Heroes," said co-founder Sheri Lee.
Lee and her husband John started the non-profit about twelve years ago. Since then, they've helped over 500 veterans in our community.
"It's amazing and I honestly cannot say that we have ever not done something, and somebody was just not appreciative beyond belief," said Lee. According to the American Community Survey estimates 190,000 veterans are in the Pittsburgh region.
At the Mooneys' they're grateful for the non-profit getting people to mow their lawn several times.
Even one time, 15 volunteers came over, cut the grass, power washed a porch, moved furniture, and trimmed bushes and trees. The non-profit's main endeavor is safe and stable housing.
Frank described the experience and said, "It was wow, (laughs) what do you need to be done, woah!"
His wife, Beverly said "Anything I wanted; they would do. They were awesome."
"We want those people to stay in their own place and we want it to be safe for them." Lee said, "Then it was beyond that. We continued to extend that, and the reality was locally there are needs everywhere that people just need a give me that need some help."
Now it's whatever the vet needs from buying cars, and cribs, and repairing ramps. It's veterans – helping veterans because Lee's husband served in the Marine Corps and Air Force.
"Served over seven deployments and through that we were married and had children and they felt that military connection," Lee said.
So, they know the sacrifice and know how the community cares about our vets. With the help of twenty-two local businesses, donors, and 338 volunteers, they're making a difference.
"Oh my gosh! So, whenever somebody's like I only have $10, I'm like you don't know the impact your $20 can have. It's huge. (Laughs) that's what Heroes Supporting Heroes does," said Lee.
They don't just see the problem, they see the veteran and the military family, like Frank and his wife.
"It's a wonderful program," said Beverly.
Frank added, "astounded, I guess you can say, because there are so many people out there willing to help."
Every dollar the non-profit gets goes back into helping vets in our community. The next big event for Heroes Supporting Heroes is the West Allegheny Work Camp on June 15th through the 21st, 2025.
They'll have 200 to 400 teens from across the country come to Imperial and do repairs at 40-70 veteran's homes.
You can learn more on their website at this link.