Youngstown VFW Post gets sprucing up, thanks to Home Depot

Article and Photo by Terry Duffy

Editor-in-Chief

Over past weeks, Niagara County elected officials have been busy helping promote area nonprofit organizations with improvements.

First District Niagara County Legislator Myers and Town of Porter Supervisor John “Duffy” Johnston dropped by Youngstown VFW Lake Ontario Post 313 in early June to help celebrate a post improvement project that came to reality from grants obtained through the Home Depot. The home improvement company, with a store in Niagara Falls, awarded grants of $1,725 and $2,000 toward materials, plus the donated labor. This help enabled the Youngstown post to complete renovations of a basement bathroom so it could be used as a storage room.

Post officials said the work involved stripping the concrete walls in the basement, installation of new ceiling panels and lights, adding a new floor, and installing storage racks to create the room. All the work was furnished free of charge by Home Depot, which provided a crew – with many former area service members – to complete the job.

“Everything is covered” through the grant money, VFW Post Cmdr. Ed Jackson said.

Other home donations include a new steel door and frame that is planned for the post basement.

“They’re going to give us the door,” along with any leftover funding from the 2024 gift card program,” Jackson said. “Next year, we can reapply” for planned work to the post’s kitchen.

“That’s such a great program; thanks for coming to our rural Youngstown. It’s just so nice to hear what you do for this post.”

In the photo, Myers is shown with Johnston, Youngstown VFW members, plus Home Depot workers from Niagara County and Amherst who completed the project.