José Acevedo served in the U.S. Army before teaching high school history in New York City. After being stationed in the Panama Canal Zone from 1974 to 1977, he spent the next 30-plus years teaching ninth and tenth grade and became a member of AFT.
“I loved teaching global history – not just American history,” said Acevedo.
Many of Acevedo’s students were immigrants and he wanted to make sure that they knew how they fit into the American story.
“Teaching was very demanding,” he reflected. “Yet when you feel like you’re making a difference, that’s when it’s most rewarding.”
Upon retirement, Acevedo sought to catch up on interests and hobbies he’d neglected during his teaching career. As he was financing his new home in a quiet section of the Bronx, he discovered the Union Plus Mortgage Veterans Grant.
“I received a $500 gift card for being a union member and then discovered I was eligible for the Mortgage Veterans Grant. I was so glad that I found it,” said Acevedo. “We used it for furnishings in our new apartment. It was so helpful as we settled in.”
Acevedo feels well taken care of by Union Plus.
“After I proved that I was qualified for my grant, everything went so smoothly. I would really recommend this to other veterans,” he said.
If you have served in the military and are an active or retired member of a union and you have financed your primary residence through the Union Plus Mortgage Program, you may qualify for the Mortgage Veterans Grant*.
To learn more about the Union Plus Mortgage Program and the new Mortgage Veterans Grant, please visit unionplus.org/mortgage.
*If you're an active-duty veteran of the United States Armed Forces and an active or retired union member who obtained a Union Plus Mortgage to finance your primary residence, you may be eligible to apply for this special $1,000 grant. You must submit an application for a Veterans Grant within 90 days of your closing date.
AFT member and veteran José Acevedo financed his new home with the Union Plus Mortgage Program, by being a union member and a veteran he was eligible for additional savings with the Union Plus Mortgage Veterans Grant.