Hollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad Receives Grant From Homes For Heroes

HOLLYWOOD, Md. — The Hollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad has received a $5,000 grant from Homes for Heroes, a foundation dedicated to supporting first responders, military personnel, healthcare workers, and educators.

The grant was presented on Feb. 14 at the squad’s station, located at 43256 Rescue Lane in Hollywood, Maryland. The funding will be allocated toward the squad’s ongoing building renovation project.

According to its website, Homes for Heroes was founded after 9/11 to give back to those who serve their communities and the country.

“It is the Homes for Heroes way to say, ‘Thank you for your service,’” the foundation states.

Hollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad President Barbara Wible explained that local real estate agent Jimmy Hayden of RE/MAX nominated the squad for the grant, which will contribute to the much-needed renovation of its facility.

“With that, we received a $5,000 grant, and it was specifically for us to use when we renovate our building, which we are in the process of getting funding for,” Wible said. “We have a set of drawings. We just need to make sure that we as the squad can afford the building.”

Although the grant is not earmarked for a specific item, it will be placed into the squad’s building renovation fund. Wible emphasized the importance of ongoing fundraising efforts to meet the squad’s financial needs.

The squad is organizing several fundraising events to support its renovation project, including:

Kentucky Derby Watch Party and Raffle – May 3
Summer Bluegrass Concert – June 14
Cornhole Tournament – July 26

Wible also noted that while the squad has been able to maintain modern ambulances and medical equipment, funding has not been sufficient to upgrade its aging facility.

The squad is seeking to expand and modernize its station to better accommodate its 24/7 crew members. Planned renovations include:

Expanding the kitchen, which is currently too small to accommodate multiple people at once.
Adding two new vehicle bays to bring all rescue units under one roof.
Building a dedicated training room, which the squad currently lacks.
Expanding the meeting room, which is sometimes unavailable due to public event rentals.

The squad recently requested an increase in its tax rate funding from the St. Mary’s County Commissioners and will present its case at a public hearing on Feb. 25.

“We appreciate the foundation and Jimmy Hayden,” Wible said. “It’s people like Jimmy who really care about the community and see an opportunity that we didn’t know about.”

To learn more about fundraising efforts, visit the Hollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad Facebook page and website.

For more information about Homes for Heroes, visit homesforheroes.com.