Despite the rain, construction began at the Prodigal Sons House in Selma Friday.

On site were workers from Holbrook Ready-Mix and Home Depot, both of which are donating supplies and labor to bring the home for struggling veterans to life.

Holbrook is providing concrete, a load of which has already been provided for the home’s foundation, and Home Depot is providing all of the supplies to build a deck and handicap ramps.

Home Depot is also providing shingles for the home and doing some of the basic labor.

“We jumped at the opportunity to do it,” said Donald Holbrook, owner of Holbrook Ready-Mix. “We don’t mind helping out for things like this, it doesn’t come up very often.”

Holbrook noted that his business has donated to multiple local operations, most often churches in need of assistance.

“We’re very excited,” said Phillip Barnett, Store Operations Manager for Home Depot on the Eastern Boulevard in Montgomery and Project Manager for the Prodigal Sons effort. “It’s a great project for a good cause.”

According to Barnett, the Montgomery location facilitated $22,000 for the Prodigal Sons’ project through the Team Depot Foundation Project, which provided $250 million for projects to benefit veterans throughout the country.

All Home Depot locations across the nation took on one project to benefit veterans in the months leading up to Veteran’s Day this year.

According to Barnett, this is the third or fourth project the Montgomery store has taken on this year.

The Prodigal Sons House in Selma is the brainchild of Andre Smith, a Selma native and veteran who struggled with his own addiction issues.

Today, Smith boasts nearly eight years sober.

“It’s exhilarating,” Smith said as he eyed the poncho-clad workers. “In 2015, this was just a thought. To see this all come together is really exciting.”

Though excited to see his dream slowly becoming reality, Smith is most excited about the opportunity to serve veterans in the Selma area who “have given so much for our freedom.”

“We still a have a way to go, but I feel like we’re headed in the right direction,” Smith said.

Though the program implemented in the Prodigal Sons House, which will provide living quarters and other assistance to veterans battling addiction and homelessness, relies on a religious foundation, Smith said no veteran in need of help would be turned away.

“We’re veterans ourselves and we’ve been in similar situations,” Smith said. “We’ve learned how to operate something like this.”

For more information or to make a contribution to the local effort, visit www.prodigalsonshouse.com.