The Grace House Project

My Father’s House of Erie is honored to have the opportunity to support women who have served our country bravely, as they make their journey home. Through our partnership with The County of Erie, the Erie VA Medical Center’s Homeless Veterans Program, and with funding from a “Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing for Underserved Populations” award, My Father’s House of Erie embarks on the “Grace House Project,” to meet the transitional housing needs of this unique population.

Why is there such a need to serve female veterans who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan?

The number of military women serving in combat zones has never been higher. Since the war in Afghanistan began in late 2001, more than 212,000 female service members have been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq, making up 11 percent of U.S. forces there. Unfortunately, upon returning to their communities, many will become homeless. Accounting for more than 10% of all homeless veterans, women are considered a new “underserved population” by the federal government in need of “homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing” initiatives.

Why are female veterans at risk of becoming homeless?

The reasons for homelessness are many. The following factors may make the female veteran increasingly vulnerable and in need of specialized attention:

• Military personnel are at an extremely high risk of being exposed to traumatic events, the results of which could lead to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Women are twice as likely as men to develop PTSD, often take longer to recover, and are four times more likely than men to have long lasting PTSD.
• Female homeless veterans tend to have more severe mental health problems than homeless male veterans, in part because they are more likely to experience sexual trauma while serving in the military. The VA reports that approximately 40% of the homeless female veterans of recent wars say they were sexually assaulted by a fellow service member while in the military. In 2008, reports of sexual assaults were up 9 percent from the year before, and the military believes these numbers are under-reported as many women wait until after leaving the armed forces to tell their stories.
• With more than 30,000 single mothers having been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan as of March 2009, the number of homeless female veterans with children is on the rise. In fact, 23% percent of female veterans in the VA’s homelessness programs have children under 18 years old.
• With less than a dozen female-only facilities nationwide, women veterans often have to travel long distances or outside their home state in order access services. Within the VA’s homeless shelter system, only 60 percent of shelters can accept women, and less than 5 percent have programs that target female veterans specifically. Programs like My Father’s House of Erie are a necessary ally to the VA to provide suitable housing for homeless veterans with families.
  

Statistics taken from “Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America Issue Report, October 2009
Women Warriors, Supporting She ‘Who Has Borne the Battle’ “by Erin Mulhall and the CHALENG Report

What services does My Father’s House of Erie offer homeless female veterans?

My Father’s House of Erie provides transitional housing and support services in our residential living home, which is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with caring, dedicated personnel.

We work closely with the Erie VA Medical Center’s Homeless Coordinator and Women’s Services Director to ensure that each eligible veteran has full access to their benefits and all available resources.

Staff will assist each woman in transition to successfully re-enter community life by identifying and working to remove the barriers to her success. The programs at My Father’s House of Erie provide resources and empowerment for personal, educational, and vocational development in an individualized goal plan. Each woman will find healthy emotional support, and assistance to implement strategies, reinforce skills and gain new tools to advance her goals.

What can you do to help?

Partnering with Erie County, My Father’s House of Erie will receive $188,000 to serve homeless female veterans who have returned from Iraq or Afghanistan.  This is “pass through” funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to Pennsylvania DCED who makes decisions on all grants, statewide.  The “Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing for Underserved Populations” award to Erie County on behalf of My Father’s House of Erie, was part of a competitive process and will allow for the hiring of two Case Managers, support two existing positions and help develop the new “Grace House” component of My Father’s House of Erie.

This funding is designated to be used over a two-year period, and then it will end. While we’re extremely grateful for the opportunity to receive this funding, additional support will be needed to serve this important population to our fullest capabilities.

Your financial support is important.

My Father’s House of Erie staff will be working diligently to develop sustainable funding streams to supplement this opportunity – but we need your help. We are seeking assistance from the Veteran community and residents of Erie County to help this important group of women make an appropriate transition home. Consider organizing a fundraiser, soliciting your church’s support, offering small business or corporate partnerships, or making an individual donation to My Father’s House of Erie.

Prepared to also give a gift of your time? Volunteer labor is needed to complete renovations to “Grace House”, as well as donations of materials and supplies.

Contact Patricia Quinn or Connie Miller at (814) 879-0880 or by email.

Make a donation now.

Together, we can help these women rebuild their lives and embrace the bright future they deserve!