Volunteers help renovate homeless veteran shelter in Bell

BELL, Calif. (KABC) -- A homeless veteran shelter run by the Salvation Army in Bell underwent a big restoration with help from volunteers.

The shelter has been in need of small repairs, and thanks to a $16,000 grant given by Home Depot, improvements have been made.

Ronnie Wald, 82, is an Army veteran who served in the Korean War. He's been homeless on and off over the past 25 years. But he got a helping hand from the Salvation Army and Home Depot.

"My son brought me here and I got through them doors, and I can't leave. I love it here because they work around the clock for us," Wald said.

There were about 100 Home Depot volunteers who had been at the shelter all day, adding landscaping to the place, a new shaded area for picnicking and fresh paint on the shelter walls.

"It's inspiring to have anybody come here and look at us and help us with it. It gives me more hope for what we're trying to do here," Wald said.

The shelter is able to house about 300 people at a time, and it calls on the surrounding community to help continue its work.

Wald said he was only part of a person when he arrived, and the volunteers helped put him back together.