Photo: Charles Lawrence.
A renovated 1865 Woonsocket, RI, home now provides living space for homeless female veterans.
When one thinks of homeless veterans, one tends to think of men. I remember visiting a new space for veterans when I worked at Rhode Island Housing. Saccoccio & Associates were the architects for the historic renovation of the Heaton and Cowing Mill in Providence, which created 20 units of veterans housing. It was beautifully done, but it did not house women.
So I was interested to read about housing specifically for female veterans in nearby Woonsocket, Rhode Island.
Bella Pelletiere has the story at the Valley Breeze.
“Homeless female veterans in Woonsocket will now have a home to spend the holidays in, say representatives from Operation Stand Down Rhode Island.
“[In November] the historic house at 495 South Main St. was reopened as transitional housing for female veterans in honor of the late Marine Corporal Andrea Ryder.
“Operation Stand Down Rhode Island is Rhode Island’s primary nonprofit resource for homeless and at-risk veterans. OSDRI facilitates a combination of permanent supportive, transitional and recovery housing to low-income and disabled veterans and has 88 locations for housing throughout the state.
“Executive Director Erik Wallin told The Breeze that since 2010, OSDRI has been operating a six-unit facility in Johnston for female veterans. That facility was recently filled to capacity and they have been trying to find alternative ways to house female veterans, who are currently allowed to stay between 6 and 24 months. …
“In May, Wallin told news sources that lead paint had been discovered during renovations, but OSDRI was working with the city and painters to restore the building. Though it was a long process, he said they knew they wanted to restore this ‘magnificent piece of architecture’ for the veterans who were coming to live there.
He added that they wouldn’t house veterans in any building they wouldn’t put their own family members in. …
“OSDRI dedicated the home to Ryder, a Rhode Island native who enlisted in the Marine Corps after graduating high school and was diagnosed with stage three melanoma when she left the service. After numerous surgeries she appeared to be in remission. In 2014, Ryder learned both that she was pregnant and that the cancer had returned at stage four.
“Ryder give birth to her baby girl in 2014, and in 2020, she ultimately succumbed to her illness after spending some time in hospice.
“Wallin said that throughout the years, they had gotten to know Ryder and her family, hosting fundraisers and supporting her until she died. …
“Many officials attended the reopening of the [house], including Tony DeQuattro, president and chairperson of the board of OSDRI, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, and Ryder’s family members.
“Ryder’s mother, Donna Paradiso, as well as her daughter, Olivia, and husband, Dennis Bourassa, also came to celebrate the life of their loved one and her name that will live on at 495 South Main St.”
These stories of veteran homelessness are so sad. You just know every time a war starts up that some who serve will come back traumatized. Some will end up homeless. We never do enough for them, but organizations like Operation Stand Down keeping chipping away at the needs.
More at the Valley Breeze, here. No firewall.
Suzanne's Mom's Blog 
Would like to hear how we communicate to help more.
💧
A step in the right direction
I hope the stability of a roof over their heads helps them move on with other aspects of lives on hold.
Indeed
You are so right. We always think of men. Yes, very sad.
Women soldiers suffer the same things as men. Of the three who died in Jordan last week, one was a woman.
Yes, I noticed that. Sigh.