The non-profit Tunnel to Towers Foundation is continuing it's annual tradition with its 2025 Season of Hope. To support America's first responders and veterans, the organization will deliver 50 mortgage-free forever homes this holiday season.
This is the seventh Season of Hope, kicking off with three mortgage-free homes being delivered to three Florida families in need that represent each of Tunnel to Towers' programs.
2025 Season of Hope
The Tunnel to Towers Season of Hope is the Foundation’s annual campaign to deliver the safety and security of a mortgage-free home to America’s heroes.
From Dec. 1 through Christmas Eve, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation will deliver 50 homes in 24 states, covering nearly half the country.
“This holiday, as you gather to celebrate the season, I would like to express my thanks to every person who has joined us on our mission. Thanks to the generosity of America, we will be able to provide 50 life-changing forever homes to 50 families this month,” said Frank Siller, chairman and CEO of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. “It is the goodness of America taking care of the greatness of America, the heroes who are willing to sacrifice everything to keep us safe.”
Thanks to the tremendous support of Americans from every corner of this great country, the organization will deliver over 200 mortgage-free homes this year alone.
Maj. Ivan Castro, U.S. Army - Smart Home Program
In a private ceremony, Retired Army Maj. Ivan Castro cut a ceremonial ribbon outside his home in Orlando, Florida.
Castro served for 28 years as an Army Ranger and an elite member of the Army’s Special Forces, aka the Green Berets. His career included multiple deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, Albania, Kosovo, South America, and Central America.
In 2006, while serving as a first lieutenant with the 82nd Airborne Division during Operation Iraqi Freedom, he was injured in a mortar attack, resulting in permanent bilateral blindness.
After spending a year recovering from his injuries, Castro continued to serve as an active duty soldier, becoming the only blind soldier to serve in Special Forces until his retirement.
Tunnel to Towers completed renovations to his Orlando home to make it more accessible and paid off the mortgage.
“Tunnel to Towers has provided me with financial relief, stability, and security," Castro said. "Equally important is the emotional and psychological support that comes with a home that will help restore my dignity and reduce my stress.”
Tunnel to Towers installed smart technology in the master bedroom and the main living area, allowing him to control the lights, thermostat, sound, and security system from an app.
A whole-house generator will protect him in the event of an emergency, and accessible storage, smart toilets, and a concrete pad on the side of the house will help Castro reclaim his daily independence.
Staff Sgt. Adam McHugh, U.S. Army - Gold Star Family Home Program
Army Staff Sgt. Adam McHugh enlisted in 2007, following in the footsteps of his father, uncles, and grandparents. During his 16-year military career, he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Knowlton Award, among others.
He lost his life on Nov. 24, 2023, to service-connected cancer. He is survived by his wife, Chelsea, and their two children.
Tunnel to Towers paid, in full, the mortgage on their home in Cantonment, Florida.
Fire Lt. Ray Keith, Delray Beach Fire Department - Fallen First Responder Home Program
Delray Beach Fire Lt. Ray Keith joined the department in October 2016. Seven years later, he lost his life to occupational colon cancer on Oct. 18, 2023, at 31 years old.
Keith was certified in hazardous materials, a member of the DBFR Honor Guard, and a leader for the DBFR Explorer Program. He was named the 2022 Firefighter of the Year. He leaves behind his wife, Amanda, and their three children.
Tunnel to Towers paid off the mortgage on the Keith family’s Royal Palm Beach home.
For more on the families being supported by Tunnel to Towers this holiday season, visit T2T.org.
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