Challenge Accepted: Helping Female Veterans Find a Safe Place to Call Home
The Home Depot Foundation Blog-Doing More For Veterans
Just last week, The New York Times featured an article on the growing challenges for female veterans as they transition back into civilian life. It was a good reminder of the oftentimes forgotten mental and physical effects of war that remain with female military members long after their service is over.
According to the article, “returning servicewomen are facing a battlefield of a different kind: they are now the fastest growing segment of the homeless population, an often-invisible group bouncing between sofa and air mattress, overnighting in public storage lockers, living in cars and learning to park inconspicuously on the outskirts of shopping centers to avoid the violence of the streets.”
What makes all of this worse: one-third of homeless female veterans live with their minor children, making it difficult to find transitional housing. That’s why we have taken a special interest in this issue.
We are partnering with organizations such as U.S.VETS and Volunteers of America and activating Team Depot, our associate volunteer corps, to provide safe and comfortable homes for these veterans who have sacrificed so much to serve our country.
One project we are particularly excited about is in partnership with U.S.VETS in Long Beach, California. Together we will help renoate a former naval housing site into transitional housing and supportive services for female veterans and their families.
Also, just a couple months ago, Team Depot transformed the home of Tonja Millberry, a veteran, mother of two and cancer survivor. The renovation of her living area, bathroom and flooring not only removed a long-term financial burden, but also increased the family’s overall morale.
As we move forward in our efforts, we know that we all must continue to work together and leverage our resources to improve housing conditions for female veterans and their families. It’s the right thing to do and a challenge we gladly accept.
For more information on The Home Depot Foundation, please visit our website.
