At age 7, Meredith Iler wanted to buy a bike, so she opened a lemonade stand in her multimillionaire grandparents' neighborhood. Through innovative marketing, she earned 20 times more than she needed. Today, the powerful persuader won't rest until every severely injured hero in uniform who needs a handicapped-accessible home gets one.

Since 2005, as chair of the non-profit organization, Helping a Hero, she's used her powerful contacts with luminaries in the world of politics and industry to raise money to build 25 custom-built homes.

"I wanted to prove that you could do it as a volunteer and never have paid staff or overhead and just inspire Americans to step up and say ‘thank you' in a tangible way to our wounded heroes," she told the Houston Chronicle.

Most veterans don't want charity, so the homes are titled in  their names, and they take on a $50,000 mortgage – with monthly payments usually around $300 – and are responsible for insurance, taxes and upkeep.

(READ the inspiring story at the Houston Chronicle)