ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — “Project 4114” is rehabbing a home for a purpose.

“Marshmallow’s Hope” collaborated with the Winnebago County Trustee Program to create “Project 4114.” Laura Kane, founder & executive director of Marshmallow’s Hope, said that this started months ago after she and her son went on a mission trip.

“Just watching him build this house, being on top of the roof, putting shingles down, I really saw how empowering that was for him and his own mental health, and that was the point it was put onto my heart that we need to do this with the Marshmallow’s kids,” Kane said.

“Project 4114” is an honorary project in memory of Zachary Birkholz and Caden Pritz, whose lives were lost to suicide. Rehabbing this house will aid in participants’ mental health while mitigating suicide risk factors. It will house a local veteran when finished.

Volunteer Bavan Singh said that, with just moving to Rockford from New Jersey, he knew he wanted to help impact his new community.

Being a veteran, this hits home for him.

“When it comes to the whole suicide aspect of it all it does hit close to home, so being able to contribute and be a part of an organization that focuses on suicide, I think is amazing,” Singh said. “This is a really good opportunity to be helping out with the community, and seeing these people out here warms my heart a little bit.”

Volunteers will be gutting out the house, ripping it down to the studs before redoing the floor plan. The goal is to have the house done by Veterans Day and turn the keys over to a local veteran in need.

“I did some work in construction end as well, just seeing this as a project that we have worked on before in the past,” Singh said.

Singh and Kane hope that others will help in contributing growth to Rockford.

“And, it’s also empowering the community and uplifting, not just in the serving aspect of it, but like, in the, you know, instead of having an empty abandoned eye sore, now we are going to have somebody that is living in the home,” Kane said.

There is still a chance to get involved, as volunteers are still needed. Veteran applications will be open from March 15 to May 15.

More information can be found on Marshmallow’s Hope’s website.