After more than 20 years in the residential construction and renovation industry, JR Smith said he wanted to use his skills to give back to a cause that was close to his heart—veterans.
Smith, owner of H-Towne & Around Remodelers in Cypress, said he noticed an increase in calls from wounded veterans in need of accessible bathrooms.
“It was always the same story,” he said. “They were all waiting on checks from the [U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs].”
Smith said those checks did not always come in, and when they did, it was never enough to cover the cost of necessary projects. He decided to start a nonprofit with Kevin Jackson, a lifelong friend with whom he attended high school and served as a U.S. Marine.
Guns to Hammers Construction officially launched in 2016, offering remodeling and renovation services for wounded veterans to make their homes accessible, helping them find independence. Smith said there are about 1.1 million wounded veterans across the country who need help in addition to VA services.
Smith and Jackson ventured on a cross-country trip to raise awareness for the cause. Over the course of 19 days, the two traveled 7,400 miles promoting the nonprofit on news channels and raising $35,000.
However, Smith said the average cost of one of his projects ranges from $10,000-$15,000, so he developed a new fundraising strategy. He started talking to local breweries to see if they would be interested in creating their own version of a Guns to Hammers ale, selling it for an additional $1 per pint and donating the proceeds back to the organization.
Wicked Boxer Brewing, which opened in Cypress in December, was among the first breweries to jump on board in February. Since then, Rosehill Beer Garden of Cypress has also made plans to support the cause by selling special edition ales from local breweries.
Smith and Jackson are planning another cross-country trek—not only to raise awareness about Guns to Hammers, but to partner with as many breweries as possible. After building a customer base, Smith said he hopes to attain corporate sponsors and identify businesses that wish to sponsor local veterans in their communities.
Once the organization is operating in markets nationwide, Smith said they will work with contractors who are veterans or veteran-friendly in each market to complete the projects.
“It’s not about Guns to Hammers opening a thousand offices around the country,” he said. “But I do want a network of really patriotic American veteran contractors like myself that will want to be a part of it.”
14139 Cypress N. Houston Road, Cypress 281-477-3400 www.facebook.com/gunstohammers
