OREANDA-NEWS. Retired U.S. Army Sergeant and medic Seth Musikant received keys to a renovated mortgage-free home in this Rochester suburb today, becoming the latest recipient of a home donated by Bank of America through the Military Warriors Support Foundation (MWSF).

Today’s ceremony represents the 2,000th home Bank of America has donated to recipients who have served in the military, which is more than any other bank. Bank of America also doubled its original goal to donate 1,000 properties through nonprofit organizations for veterans and their families who have housing needs.

“Our property donation program has been one of the most unique ways we have assisted and thanked those who have served in the military and sacrificed for our country,” said Larry Washington, Strategic Portfolio Management executive for Bank of America. “The team at Bank of America is committed both to revitalizing communities and helping U.S. veterans return to civilian life.”

“Housing is a key component in our mission to provide support for our nation’s combat-wounded heroes and Gold Star families as they transition out of the military and into civilian life,” said Casey Kinser, vice president of programs for MWSF. “Bank of America’s generous donations of properties help us carry out our mission and honor our nation’s heroes.”

Musikant entered the army in 2004 at age 19 with the specific intent to become a combat medic and “help get soldiers home safe to their families during deployments.” He served two tours of duty, first in Baghdad, Iraq from 2005 through 2006 and later in Kirkuk, Iraq from 2007 through 2008. During each deployment, he was injured by detonations of improvised explosive devices, suffering traumatic brain damage and other injuries. His injuries and combat zone experiences resulted in post-traumatic stress disorder, and today, he is recovering with care and support. In addition to the Purple Heart, he counts the Army Commendation Medal for Valor among his military awards.

Musikant is engaged to Sarah Taylor, and the couple will relocate to the Rochester area from Antwerp, N.Y., where their family lives. Since leaving the army, Musikant has earned a master’s degree in health administration and hopes to use his degree in a local health facility after relocating. Taylor plans to attend a nearby university to complete her degree.

Veterans in 48 states have received keys to refurbished homes through Bank of America’s property donation program. Military Warriors Support Foundation, USA Homeownership, Green Extreme Homes, Purple Heart Homes and Nehemiah Reinvestment Coalition are among the organizations partnering with the bank. Properties are donated to the nonprofits, which identify the home recipients and provide related services, such as financial counseling.

Across all of the company’s community revitalization programs, Bank of America has donated more than 5,800 homes and properties to nonprofits, land banks and municipalities since 2012.

Bank of America has supported the U.S. military with banking services for more than 90 years, and currently serves more than 2 million active and veteran military customer households. The company is committed to helping veterans while on active duty, and as they transition back to civilian life, including the goal to hire 10,000 veterans and Guard and Reservists during the next few years. Bank of America also supports the military community nationwide through philanthropic contributions to military-focused nonprofits and volunteering. The bank has provided more than $17 million in financial support to military nonprofits since 2009, and company employees volunteered more than 55,000 hours at military events last year.

Military Warriors Support Foundation
MWSF is a 501(c)3 non-profit, founded by retired Army Lt. Gen. Leroy Sisco in 2007. MWSF’s Mission is to provide support for our nation’s combat wounded heroes and Gold Star families as they transition out of the military and into civilian life. Their programs focus on housing and homeownership, employment, as well as recreational activities and travel assistance.

Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 47 million consumer and small business relationships with approximately 4,700 retail financial centers, approximately 16,000 ATMs, and award-winning online banking with approximately 33 million active accounts and more than 20 million mobile active users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world.