A North Carolina-based charity has donated $20,000 to repair storm damage at the home of World War II veteran Wilbur Schmit and his wife, Anna.
Repairs will start next week on Almond Street, with a combined $40,000 raised to purchase supplies.
"The main mission we know we're going to get done. We just want to restore some dignity and order to his home," said volunteer Jeff Shawan.
The most recent donation comes from Purple Heart Homes, a charity that helps build houses for veterans and make repairs to their homes. It was co-founded by Dale Beatty and John Gallina, Iraq veterans who were injured in 2004 when their Humvee drove over a pair of land mines.
"When I read Mr. Schmit's story and started looking at what their options were, they were pretty limited," said Beatty, who lost both legs below the knee and spent a year recovering at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Beatty found out about the Schmits from former Navy Seal and former Poplar Bluff resident Shannon Rush, after it was shared with Rush by a friend.
Learning Wilbur Schmit was trying to care for his wife and take care of the home on a fixed income moved Beatty and those at Purple Heart Homes.
"If anybody needs help, that's the kind of person I want to help out," said Beatty. "His service means so much to me and to everybody in this country."
Purple Heart Homes was started after Beatty's community rallied around him after he left Walter Reed and started building his own home.
"We're different in that we help veterans of every age and era," he said. "We're not restricted to Iraq and Afghanistan. Mr. Schmit, being a World War II veteran, we just hold a special place in our hearts for those guys."
The Poplar Bluff community has already raised $20,000 to help with repair efforts.
Local contractor Chris McArthur of Property Pro has volunteered to complete demolition of the section of home that was damaged when a large tree fell in May and rebuild the bedroom. Other volunteers from Crossroads Ministry will put on a new roof.
The Schmits have continued to live at the location after closing the bedroom door and securing it from inside the home.
Any money left after the repairs will be used to make needed updates inside other areas of the home and property, Shawan said.
An account has been set up at First Midwest Bank and online at GoFundMe. Shawan has collected donations and a fundraiser was held by Northside Nutrition, where workers first alerted the community to the Schmits' problems.
Beatty plans to visit Poplar Bluff at the completion of the repairs.
The donation from Purple Heart Homes was only possible because of contributions from The Home Depot Foundation, Beatty said.
"It's because of their donation to us, we were able to donate to this project," he said.