Duke Energy Foundation Awards Over $56,000 in Grants to Support Florida Veterans

Honoring Veterans with Targeted Grants

In November 2023, Duke Energy and the Duke Energy Foundation announced more than $56,000 in grants to five Florida organizations supporting veterans and their families. The grants — timed around Veterans Day — were designed to address a range of needs, from career transition support to home repairs for veteran-owned homes.

The announcement was part of a broader Duke Energy commitment to veterans that the company said totaled more than $290,000 in investments in the year leading up to the announcement.

Where the $56,000 Went

Among the recipient organizations detailed in the Duke Energy Foundation announcement:

• Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay received $30,000 to support major repairs of two veteran-owned homes in St. Petersburg, Florida, at no cost to the homeowners.
• Camaraderie Foundation received a grant to support its annual Ruck Sack Race, which funds counseling, transition services, and family support for active military, veterans, and their loved ones.

Additional grants went to other Florida-based organizations working on veteran career pathways, housing stability, mental health, and family wellness — each addressing a distinct facet of what veterans and military families need to thrive after service.

Why Home Repair Support Matters

The Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay grant is particularly noteworthy because home repair is a persistent and often underfunded need for older and disabled veterans. Many veterans who bought homes decades ago have seen their properties age alongside them, with rising costs for critical repairs — roofing, plumbing, electrical, HVAC — far outpacing fixed retirement or disability incomes.

Rebuilding Together affiliates across the country specialize in providing free home repairs and modifications for low-income homeowners, with a particular focus on:

• Seniors aging in place.
• Veterans with service-connected disabilities.
• Homeowners with children who need accessibility modifications.
• Homes damaged by storms or deferred maintenance.

The $30,000 to Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay translated into tangible, visible improvements to two veteran-owned homes — protecting the homeowners' long-term housing stability and property value.

The Camaraderie Foundation Connection

The Camaraderie Foundation, based in Florida, provides counseling and transition services to active-duty service members, veterans, and military families. Its annual Ruck Sack Race is a signature fundraising event — named after the rucksacks servicemembers carry on missions — and Duke Energy's grant directly supported the organization's ability to reach more military families.

Duke Energy's 'Together We Stand' Employee Group

Beyond the Foundation grants, Duke Energy maintains Together We Stand (TWS), an employee veteran resource group that mentors new hires, supports veteran employees, and coordinates community service. The Florida TWS chapter actively participates in local veteran support events throughout the year.

This corporate employee engagement complements the Foundation's grantmaking, creating a more holistic corporate commitment to veterans beyond a single grant cycle.

Broader Veteran Home Support Landscape

For Florida veterans needing home repair or modification support outside of Duke Energy's specific grants, other resources include:

• VA Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) and Special Housing Adaptation (SHA) grants for veterans with certain service-connected disabilities.
• Habitat for Humanity Veterans Build programs across Florida.
• Local Rebuilding Together affiliates beyond Tampa Bay.
• State and county weatherization programs prioritizing veterans, seniors, and disabled homeowners.
• Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs for referrals and benefits guidance.

A Model for Corporate Philanthropy

Duke Energy's $56,000-plus in grants is not massive in absolute terms, but its distribution — tied to specific, measurable projects like home repairs and counseling services — offers a model for how corporate philanthropy can reach veterans with concrete help. For the veterans living in the two Tampa Bay homes that got major repairs, and for the families served by Camaraderie Foundation and partner nonprofits, the impact is deeply personal.

Homeowner advocates often emphasize that small, well-targeted grants paired with strong local nonprofits can deliver outsized value — exactly the kind of partnership Duke Energy's announcement was designed to demonstrate.