Heinrich Announces Help for Local Homeless Women Veterans

October 8, 2010

by New Mexico RealEstateRama

WASHINGTON, D.C. – October 6, 2010 – (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Representative Martin Heinrich (NM-1) today announced a grant of $185,250 to the YWCA Middle Rio Grande to provide transitional housing for homeless women veterans and their children. The YWCA will use the grant money to renovate a recently donated facility, which will provide ten beds and a van for their Transitional Living Center for Homeless Women Veterans and their Dependent Children.

“It is unacceptable that so many of our veterans have no alternative but to sleep on the streets,” said Rep. Heinrich. “Because women veterans often have additional safety concerns and parental responsibilities, safe and secure housing is of great significance. I will keep fighting for better job training and health benefits for our nation’s heroes.”

With this grant funding, the YWCA Middle Rio Grande will work in partnership with the local VA’s Health Care Program for Women. All medical, psychological and chemical-dependency services will be provided by the VA, while the YWCA will provide food, shelter, clothing, parenting education, case management, and career and life skills training in a drug-free, supportive living environment.

“This grant will help the YWCA Middle Rio Grande to serve the women veterans who so valiantly served our country and it meant a great deal for us to have the support of New Mexico’s Congressional Delegation,” remarked Carolyn Margolies, President & CEO of the YWCA Middle Rio Grande. “Our goal with the Transitional Living Center is to empower homeless women veterans, and those with children, so that when they leave transitional housing, they will go forth into our community as self-actualized, productive, financially stable and self-reliant women.”

In early March 2010, Rep. Heinrich wrote a letter of support for the YWCA’s grant application. In the letter, Rep. Heinrich wrote, “We have come a long way as a society in transitioning our veterans, but we are only now starting to understand the needs of our women veterans. It is time that we take meaningful action to support these veterans and to address the unique needs of the women who have served our country.”