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Hope isn’t built merely with power tools and grit, but also with compassion and care. For over 30 years, The Home Depot has been committed to helping communities with short-term response and long-term recovery when a natural disaster strikes. With the help of our partners, we have been able to provide immediate support and relief supplies to communities in need – exactly when they need it most.
Donna Carr survived the harrowing Paradise, California fire in 2018. View her story and see how The Home Depot helped Donna renew hope in the face of natural disaster.
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Sharon Robinson has helped countless disaster victims – both associates and communities alike – rebuild through the help of The Homer Fund. Learn how Sharon helped others build hope in the face of natural disaster.
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Jason Smith survived the Joplin, Missouri, Tornado in 2011. View his story and see how The Home Depot helped Jason rebuild hope in the face of natural disaster.
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“When you take a hit, people come together. And here, there's a tremendous sense of community…we don't want to see our neighbors suffer.”
Lloyd Jarell, Associate since 2008
After Hurricane Andrew devastated South Florida and Louisiana, customers and associates worked side-by-side to rebuild the region. The day after the storm struck, we learned as an organization, we were more than a retail store – we were also a part of the necessary infrastructure of communities to assist citizens, first responders, and relief organizations post-disaster.
From the beginning, associates have always given back to their communities. In 1993, we decided to make it official and create Team Depot as our official volunteer program to give associates the support and resources they needed to do more in their communities. In April 1995, President Clinton recognized Team Depot for community service. The organization received the President’s Service Award, the highest honor given to volunteers by the President.
Relief efforts in Los Angeles-area stores operated out of parking lots in the aftermath of the Northridge earthquake in January. All products sold at normal prices, including those in high demand, such as plywood, tarpaulins, generators, water heaters, plumbing supplies, and flashlight batteries.
The Homer Fund rolled out in October 1999 to provide financial assistance to associates who face unexpected hardship related to natural disasters, illnesses, injuries, death, or other circumstances beyond their control.
To support Hurricane Katrina relief and rebuilding efforts, The Home Depot launched “Rebuilding Hope and Homes.” The program funded health and human service programs for disaster victims and support the construction and refurbishment of affordable housing for individuals and families displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
Following a devastating tornado in Joplin, Missouri, almost 200 volunteers from The Home Depot’s associate volunteer force, Team Depot, flew into Joplin, Missouri, to rebuild following the devastating tornado.
Team Depot responded to natural disasters across the country in 2018. After wildfires in California in November, The Home Depot Foundation increased its annual commitment to nearly $5 million, which supported immediate relief efforts for the fires, flooding in the Midwest and Hurricanes Michael, Florence and Olivia. Additionally, the Foundation completed long-term recovery projects in Puerto Rico and Texas for communities working to rebuild from the previous year’s storms, Hurricanes Maria and Harvey.
The Home Depot introduced a Hurricane & Storm Preparedness Livestream Workshop led by expert associates to help residents in storm-prone regions prepare and protect their families and homes for hurricanes, tornadoes and floods.
Following the aftermath of the recent flooding in the Appalachia and Midwest regions, Team Depot helped with relief efforts in impacted communities. In partnership with several nonprofit organizations, including Convoy of Hope, World Central Kitchen and Operation Blessing, Team Depot worked to get much-needed resources to those in need as quickly as possible. Associate volunteers assembled hundreds of additional disaster relief kits with cleaning supplies, trash bags, gloves and PPE for nonprofit partners to distribute.
No one would think a hotel would ever be the perfect location for The Home Depot. But following Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 the White Pearl Hotel in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, transformed into one.
“We opened a satellite store, very, very quickly, in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, that was just kind of temporary. It was two floors in the White Pearl Hotel where they had a consultation center for contractors and homeowners to come in while they were rebuilding after all the flooding and damage.” – Jennifer Wyatt (Associate)
Immediately following the evacuation of Paradise, CA in November 2018, The Homer Fund went to work helping local associates with housing and basic needs.
“It’s so crazy to lose everything… I mean we had the clothes on our backs and what was in our vehicles. And that was it.” – Donna Carr (Associate)
Within days of a tornado ripping through the town and the store in July 2011, we erected a fully-functioning, temporary “tent” store so the community could get what they needed to begin building back.
“I remember pulling up and seeing the big tent that was in the parking lot. In spite of the devastation, Home Depot employees were there doing the hard work of helping people rebuild.” – CJ Huff (Resident)
In September 2005, The Home Depot Foundation sent hundreds of associate volunteers to the surrounding areas to help the communities rebuild.
“Of course, we can’t build a house in a day, but we can work with nonprofit partners to provide funding, to provide manpower, to make sure that these communities are being built and that they’re sustainable.” – Jena Alford (Associate)
When a storm hits, our associates want to help. So, when Hurricane Andrew struck South Florida in August 1992, The Home Depot helped in any way we could.
“And then they started shipping product in so that customers could get plywood, tape, batteries, all the basic stuff. Tarps to cover their roofs. Just the basic stuff that they needed.” – Vickie Isham (Associate)
Post-Hurricane Maria in 2017, FEMA – like everyone else in Puerto Rico – was in need of the basics: power, water, air-conditioning, and of course, wifi. We dedicated floor space to set up a FEMA field office and welcomed them to work out of the store for months on end following the storm.
“FEMA has the resources and the people that truly do this day in and day out. So what I did was, make sure FEMA was set up to work.” – Brian Gamberini (Associate)
“You take care of your associates and you take care of customers. And I know that sounds simplistic and cliche, but it couldn't be more true. And for me, and the team that I have, we will go to whatever lengths we have to, to make sure our stores and our communities are taken care of.”
Pete Capel, Associate since 1992
