ORANGEBURG, NY – Today, DHS Technologies LLC, President and CEO A. Jon Prusmack, also a former Marine joined in the Homes for Heroes groundbreaking ceremony with numerous dignitaries including New York State Senator Charles Schumer to kick-off a new construction project that will eventually create 52 apartment units to house homeless veterans. It is the hope of DHS Technologies and many of the other officials present at today’s ground breaking ceremony that the housing project in New York State will serve as a model for future veteran’s housing projects nationwide.
With the intervention of New York State Senator Schumer, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Veterans (VA) and the General Services Administration (GSA) and Rockland Homes for Heroes Founders and Supporters; the critical mission of constructing apartment units for homeless veterans in the region is now a reality and can move forward.
“As a veteran-owned company, we always recognize and appreciate the sacrifices that our troops make for us,” says A. Jon Prusmack, President and CEO of DHS Technologies, who was joined at the ground breaking by his wife, Mrs. Patrice Prusmack, and Chief Administrative Officer for DHS Technologies, who were both praised by Senator Schumer and Homes for Heroes Founders for their support. “In the words of Senator Schumer, ‘one homeless veteran is one too many,’” the Prusmack’s say. “The very least we can do is see to it that veterans have a roof over their heads.” They added that DHS Technologies is a veteran friendly employer with well over 20% of its workforce made up of veterans who served in Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Homes for Heroes plans to construct rental units on six of the thirteen acres and will include the rehabilitation of one or two buildings presently standing on the property of a former Army Reserve barracks. The project, aided by a $1 million federal grant Senator Schumer helped secure, ultimately aims to construct 52 handicapped accessible, garden-style apartments, a community center and offices for agencies that will provide support services to the resident veterans.
The first phase of Rockland Homes for Heroes’ project, begins with today’s groundbreaking under the cover of a TMSS Medium Shelter System that protected participants from the rain and cold. The TMSS Medium System is part of the U.S. Army’s Standard Integrated Command Post System (SCIPS) program and is currently being fielded to all U.S. Army maneuver brigade combat teams and National Guard units across the United States.
Phase one continues with the demolition of the former Army Reserve barracks at Camp Shanks, which will be the site of the future foundation for the first few apartment houses. With foundation slated to be poured by the end of the year, veterans could be in their homes as early as next fall.
Camps Shanks is located in Tappan, New York, only a short distance from DHS Technologies global headquarters. Camp Shanks was the largest World War II army embarkation camp in the United States. Over 1.3 million soldiers went through the camp, also known as “Last Stop USA,” for processing before being deployed to Europe.
For photos of the event please visit our photo gallery. For more information on how you can help with projects like this please visit Homes for Heroes.