3 Doors Down Team Up With Home Depot to Help Homeless Veterans
3 Doors Down have built their career on the back of an endless parade of melodic rock radio hits. But it's their tireless work with the US Military that has made them the go-to band for the Armed Forces these past few years. "It's the least we can do for these troops and we'll always find time to play for them if it lifts their spirits," 3 Doors Down guitarist Matt Roberts tells Noisecreep. We're in West Los Angeles with Roberts and his bandmates where they're volunteering for their latest passion project.
The band is here with The Home Depot Foundation, The Mission Continues and local volunteers, to refurbish the exterior grounds of New Directions, a nonprofit organization, which runs a residential program on the campus of the West Los Angeles Veterans Administration Medical Center. New Directions provides an array of services for homeless veterans recovering from "Invisible illnesses" including substance abuse, mental illness and post-traumatic stress disorder.
"We've had a long connection with the Military and the troops, so this was just another way to get involved. The hope is that our fans learn about what we're doing and try and to help out too. We're having a great time working with The Home Depot Foundation on this," says Roberts.
Noisecreep asks the guitarist if he and the rest of the guys in 3 Doors Down have family in the Armed Forces. "Yeah, everyone in the band has some kind of connection to the Military. My grandfather was a World War II veteran in the Air Force, as was my uncle. Brad's [Arnold, vocals] father was in the Air Force and he's got siblings that served too. So we have a deep understanding of what it means for these families that have loved ones serving our country."
Roberts says a trip to Walter Reed Army Medical Center was a sobering reminder of the horrors of war. "It was heartbreaking to see what some of those soldiers had to go through. Listening to some of their stories really got me. But at the same time it feels great to know that music can be medicinal. Just to know that in some teeny-tiny way we could help them through a tough time is gratifying."
When customers purchase a Celebration of Service Home Depot gift card from 9/11/11 – 11/11/11, five percent of the value placed on the card will go to The Home Depot Foundation to support nonprofit organizations serving the housing needs of veterans. Gift cards may be purchased in their stores or online at www.homedepot.com. During Celebration of Service, when you buy 3 Doors Down's new album 'Time of My Life' from Home Depot's website, $1 of the sale will go directly to support The Home Depot Foundation's veterans' housing initiatives.
Watch 'Every Time You Go' from 3 Doors Down'
3 Doors Down are gearing up for a tour with Theory of a Deadman and Pop Evil. Check out all of the tour dates below:
9/29 - Chattanooga, Tenn., Memorial Auditorium
10/1 - Lexington, Ky., Rupp Arena (without TOAD)
10/2 - Nashville, Tenn, The Woods at Fontanel
10/4 - Orlando, Fla., Hard Rock Live
10/5 - St. Augustine, Fla, St. Augustine Amphitheater
10/7 - Bossier City, La., Century Link Center
10/8 - Mobile, Ala., BayFest (without Pop Evil, with Hinder)
10/11 - Knoxville, Tenn., Knoxville Civic Coliseum
10/12 - Roanoke, Va., Roanoke Civic Center
10/14 - Tuscaloosa, Ala., Tuscaloosa Ampitheatre
10/15 - Jackson, Miss., Mississippi Coliseum
*10/20 - Norman, Okla, Riverwind Casino
*10/21 - Thackerville, Okla, Winstar Casino
*10/26 - Phoenix, Ariz., Arizona State Fair
10/28 - Beaumont, Texas, Ford Arena
10/29 - Corpus Christi, Texas, Concrete Street Amphitheater
*11/1 - Rockford, Ill., Rockford Metrocentre
*11/2 - Milwaukee, Wis., Eagles Ballroom
11/4 - Grand Rapids, Mich., DeltaPlex
11/5 - Toledo, Ohio, Huntington Center (without TOAD)
*11/6 - Hammond, Ind., The Venue at Horseshoe Casino
11/9 - New York, N.Y., Hammerstein Ballroom
11/12 - Providence, R.I., Providence PAC
* = without TOAD or Pop Evil