The session centered on the Gary Sinise Foundation's R.I.S.E. (Restoring Independence, Supporting Empowerment) program, which has now completed approximately 102 specially adapted smart homes for the nation's most severely wounded heroes. The foundation reached a milestone in November 2025 with the dedication of its 100th home.

Industry Contributions

When Evan Cohen of Quality Marble & Granite, 2025 NSI president, asked Sinise how instrumental the stone and tile industry has been to the R.I.S.E. program, Sinise pointed to the quality of materials and the personal commitment of industry members. He said tile and stone manufacturers have consistently gone above and beyond for the families they serve.

"These are quality homes,” said Sinise. “We want to build what we call forever homes. When you sit down with the family, they'll start talking about how they visualize the home, types of things and materials they really want to have in the home.

"Your companies are not pinching pennies," Sinise went on to say. "They want to do right by these families, and that's a good thing, because you're going to build this house; you're going to put these products in the house; and then they're going to live there."

Many of the homes are built for veterans with catastrophic injuries, including paralysis. Sinise said smooth, accessible surfaces are critical for residents who rely on wheelchairs.

"If you're rolling around a house or you're rolling around outside, you want a nice smooth surface," said Sinise. "You want to be able to have that wheelchair get around nice and easy."

Hieb noted that the program's impact extends beyond the home recipients, saying that when a fabrication shop owner agrees to participate in a R.I.S.E. home, employees regularly volunteer for the installation and fabrication work.

The Foundation's Broad Mission

Sinise, 71, said the Gary Sinise Foundation employs nearly 100 people across the country and operates programs that extend well beyond home building. The foundation supports first responder outreach, education initiatives, mental wellness programs and entertainment for military personnel and their families.

"Many foundations and organizations have a kind of a single mission," said Sinise. "Home building is one part of the Gary Sinise Foundation."

The foundation's education programs bring high school students to the Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, TX, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and the 9/11 Museum in New York City. Another program has flown more than 1,500 World War II veterans to the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, LA — pairing them with students for intergenerational learning experiences.

"I feel it's very important for our young people to really understand not only that they should support the men and women who serve them and protect and defend us, but why they should," said Sinise.

Home Selection Process

Sinise said the R.I.S.E. program receives applications from wounded service members, and the foundation conducts what he described as a "pretty vigorous vetting process" before he makes the phone call to inform a family that their home will move forward.

"It could be a fairly long, extensive period of time that we're going through the process," said Sinise. "For me to make that call and to let them know that we'd love to work with them and provide this home, that's a very special moment."

He said the foundation currently has approximately 20 approved applicants in the queue and completes about eight to 10 homes per year. Some families will not move into their homes for another couple of years.

Sinise also referenced the recent Iranian attacks on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, where multiple U.S. service members were severely wounded in late March. "We've got two severely wounded right now in a hospital in Saudi Arabia that are being stabilized, and they will be transported home," said Sinise, adding that he planned to visit Walter Reed National Military Medical Center the following month to meet with the wounded soldiers.

Photo: Jennifer Richinelli

Lt. Dan Band and USO Tours

Sinise, who co-founded the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago in 1974 at age 18, said his military advocacy began after the September 11th attacks. He went on his first USO tour to Iraq in June 2003 as part of a large-scale tour that included Kid Rock, Leann Womack and Robert De Niro.

He recalled calling the USO and leaving messages identifying himself only as "Gary Sinise" before realizing the name did not register. "I called back a third time and I said, ‘I'm Gary Sinise. I'm the guy who played Lieutenant Dan,’” he said, drawing laughs from the audience. "And then I got a call back."

What started as solo appearances on USO tours grew into a full band. After wearing down USO officials who were skeptical of "an actor with a band," Sinise took the Lt. Dan Band on its first overseas tour to Diego Garcia, Korea and Singapore in February 2004.

Since those early days, the Lt. Dan Band has performed approximately 650 concerts for military audiences worldwide. Sinise said the band had just performed at a Vietnam Veterans concert near the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C., on March 29th in honor of National Vietnam War Veterans Day.

Mac Sinise's Legacy

In one of the session's most emotional moments, Sinise spoke about his son, McCanna Anthony "Mac" Sinise, who died on January 5, 2024, at age 33 after a five-and-a-half-year battle with chordoma, a rare cancer that originates in the spine.

Sinise said his wife, Moira, was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in the summer of 2018, and two months later, Mac was diagnosed with chordoma. While Moira's cancer went into remission, Mac's returned and spread.

Mac, a graduate of the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music, had joined the Gary Sinise Foundation's education and outreach team about a year before his diagnosis. In the final year of his life, despite being paralyzed and unable to play drums, Mac taught himself harmonica from his hospital bed and decided to finish a piece of music he had started in college called "Arctic Circles."

"He went into the studio in July of 2023 and recorded with an orchestra," said Sinise. "He's playing harmonica. He couldn't play drums anymore. So at his hospital bed, he taught himself how to play harmonica."

That recording grew into a full album titled "Resurrection and Revival." Mac died approximately two weeks after the album was completed.

"We released it at the Gary Sinise Foundation website, and weeks after he died, I started going through his files, and I found all this other music," said Sinise.

A second volume, "Resurrection and Revival Part II," followed. Sinise told the audience that a third volume, containing music drawn from 60 total compositions Mac created, was being pressed at the time of the session and would be released in June. All proceeds from the albums benefit the Gary Sinise Foundation.

Mental Health and Suicide Prevention

Sinise also addressed the challenge of mental health and suicide within the military and first responder communities. "We have a terrible suicide problem within the services and our veteran community," said Sinise. "Creating awareness that there are programs out there available to them is paramount."

He highlighted the foundation's support for the Boulder Crest Foundation, a mental wellness organization founded by a former Navy explosive ordnance disposal technician. Sinise also mentioned a documentary the foundation produced called "Brothers After War," which follows up with service members who appeared in a previous film, "Brothers at War," to examine the long-term effects of combat service.

The session concluded with a standing ovation. Coverings announced a donation to the Gary Sinise Foundation, and NTCA indicated it would also contribute. Attendees were encouraged to donate via a QR code displayed at the event.

Coverings 2026 took place March 30 through April 2 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The Gary Sinise session was sponsored at the headline level by MAPEI Corporation and at the supporting level by PROFLEX Products.