North Shore Gas employees finish renovations on new homes for local military veterans

NORTH CHICAGO – North Shore Gas employees completed final renovations on two north suburban townhomes and handed the keys to local military veterans and their families.

The work was part of an initiative called Home & Honor, which provides stable housing for homeless and near-homeless veterans.

The veterans receive support from the nonprofit Community Action Partnership of Lake County, which helps them integrate into civilian life after serving in the U.S. military. North Shore Gas provides financial support to help sustain the nonprofit's community efforts and the company's team members personally volunteer to perform renovations to make the homes fully move-in ready. The homes are in North Chicago.

Two of the veterans are a couple – retired U.S. Air Force veteran Dwayne Blackmon and retired U.S. Army veteran Regina Rath – who live with their 19-year-old son. They had been living in a local motel and lacked things many people take for granted such as space to keep groceries and their own set of dishes. Now they are living in their own home with a full kitchen.

The other homeowner is retired U.S. Navy veteran Ronald Roberson, who joined the military when he was 18 years old and lives with his teenage daughter and a caregiver who assists Roberson. The family had been living in a tight two-bedroom apartment and each now will have their own bedroom and new personal space they are cherishing. The North Shore Gas team even used pink when decorating the bedroom that Roberson's daughter will use. It's the teen's favorite color.

"These veterans, like others across the northern suburbs, have done so much to serve our communities," said Bill Mastoris, interim president of North Shore Gas. "This is one way to show how grateful we are and return that support by doing something that will help enhance their families' lives."

Several of the volunteers from North Shore Gas are members of the company's Military Service Members Association, a business resource group whose mission includes helping veterans transition to civilian life and supporting veterans in other ways.

A special "key ceremony" took place at the event with organizers and volunteers officially handing the veterans the keys to their new homes.

"We are proud to partner on this Home & Honor project with North Shore Gas whose commitment to serving the community closely aligns with our mission to promote self-sufficiency of families and individuals with low incomes and improve the standard of living in Lake County," said Mary Lockhart White, executive director and CEO of CAPOLC. "Through Veterans Housing we seek to eliminate homelessness among veterans."

CAPOLC and North Shore Gas have renovated 13 homes for local veterans since 2016.

In addition to the home renovations, North Shore Gas conducted energy audits for townhomes in the neighborhood to help residents save energy and money on their heating bills.