Wild Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Program in West Bridgewater is enlisting area residents to help the organization win a $25,000 The Home Depot gift card in November by voting daily in The Home Depot Foundation’s second annual Aprons in Action Facebook contest.  Voting begins Nov. 1 and runs through Nov. 30 at www.facebook.com/homedepotfoundation.  The organization that receives the most votes during the month will win the $25,000 prize to help fund an organizational or community improvement project, and will have the opportunity to compete for the grand prize of $250,000 at the end of the year-long program.

In the November round of the competition, Wild Hearts is competing against three other veterans-focused organizations across the country including, The Low Income Housing Institute in Seattle, Wash., VFW Post #5696 in Lisle, Ill., and the Abilities Foundation in Clearwater, Fla.  The runner-up organizations will receive $5,000 in The Home Depot gift cards.

“If we win the $25,000 from The Home Depot we would be able to make the barn wheelchair accessible and create a safe, comfortable atmosphere for veterans and their families to participate in therapeutic riding and therapeutic horsemanship, and allow Wild Hearts Horses for Heroes to provide services to more veterans readjusting to civilian life. So help us make a difference by voting everyday on Facebook, and tell everyone you know to do the same!” said Julie Lovely, Founder and Executive Director of Wild Hearts.

Aprons in Action Unites Communities to Support Veterans: Each month during the year-long Aprons in Action competition, The Home Depot Foundation will select four organizations that support U.S. veterans to compete for the monthly prize.  In May 2013, Facebook fans will be recruited by all 11 monthly winners to vote in the contest’s final round.  The organization that receives the most votes will win the $250,000 grand prize from The Home Depot Foundation and the organizations that earn the second and third most votes will win $150,000 and $100,000, respectively.

How To Vote: Voting runs from Nov. 1 at 9 a.m. ET through Nov. 30 at 11:59 p.m. ET.  Find Aprons in Action on The Home Depot Foundation’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/homedepotfoundation.  Voting is available on computers and mobile devices.

The final percentages of votes for each nonprofit will be posted on The Home Depot and The Home Depot Foundation’s Facebook pages on Dec. 1 at 9 a.m. ET.

For more information and to view the program rules, visit The Home Depot on Facebook or go to www.homedepotfoundation.org. 

Across the country, The Home Depot Associates give back to their communities by volunteering their time and talents with local nonprofit organizations that support our nation’s veterans, like Wild Hearts. Volunteers from Team Depot will offer additional hours and supplies to each of the featured nonprofits for extra work in their communities through the Aprons in Action Program.

“The Aprons in Action program is a fun way for us to support the organizations that help our nation’s heroes,” said Kelly Caffarelli, president of The Home Depot Foundation. “Throughout the competition, we will provide $1 million to these 44 deserving organizations to help them continue their service and generate awareness of their community efforts.”

About Wild Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Program: Wild Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Program is a non-profit organization that provides equine assisted activities and therapy to children and adults with physical, cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and/or social challenges. Wild Hearts currently offers two programs: Therapeutic Riding and Wild Hearts Horses for Heroes, and is planning to add a Hippotherapy program beginning in Spring 2013.

Wild Hearts Horses for Heroes allows military veterans returning from war and their families to experience the therapeutic benefits of Equine Assisted Activities such a therapeutic riding and therapeutic horsemanship. Equine Assisted Activities are tailored specifically to the needs of service personnel and veterans to address Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and other physical, emotional, and psychological challenges that make it difficult to readjust to civilian life following deployment.

To learn more about Wild Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Program and Wild Hearts Horses for Heroes, please visit our website at www.wildheartstherapeutic.org, like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wild-Hearts-Therapeutic-Equestrian-Program/171047302866 and follow us on Twitter @WildHeartsTEP.

About The Home Depot Foundation: In 2011, The Home Depot Foundation focused its financial and volunteer resources to help nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving the homes of economically disadvantaged veterans. To date, the Foundation has committed $80 million to these efforts. Through Team Depot, the company's associate-led volunteer program, thousands of Home Depot associates volunteer their time and talents to positively transform neighborhoods and perform basic repairs and modifications to homes and to the facilities serving veterans with critical housing needs.

Since its formation in 2002, The Home Depot Foundation has granted more than $300 million to nonprofit organizations improving homes and lives in local communities. To learn more and see our associates in action, visit www.homedepotfoundation.org, follow us on Twitter @homedepotfdn, and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/homedepotfoundation.