Join us in our mission to end homelessness for veterans

This Memorial Day the YWCA would like to honor all the service men and women who have lost their lives while serving our country. Speaking with a YWCA resident about Memorial Day, she expressed the importance of paying tribute to her two grandparents who served in World War II. As we talked, she began to reflect on her own time spent in the service.

Susan* inspired by her grandparents, enlisted in the National Guard when she was a senior in high school. She attended basic training and became an active Army soldier, anxious to follow in her family’s footsteps. Overseas while actively serving in Operation Desert Storm, Susan was abruptly wounded and her dreams of a career in the military were shattered. After returning home, Susan found herself needing to escape a toxic 10 year relationship, leaving her homeless.

A number of veterans find themselves in similar situations. Every night there are more than 131,000 veterans without a place to sleep. Triple that number, and that’s the number of veterans in jeopardy of losing their homes. Much of this stems from mental illness and substance abuse that follows soldiers home, making it hard for them to live a ‘normal’ or stable life.

Do you know a veteran in need of shelter? The YWCA Central Indiana served over 500 women and children in 2015, 9 of those being veterans. This Memorial Day join us in our mission to end homelessness for veterans.

-Kari Wissel, YWCA Intern

* Name changed for privacy purposes.