First of its Kind: Help on the Way for Veteran Moms

BALLSTON — A groundbreaking ceremony was held on June 27 for Foreverly House – a two-family home that will provide transitional housing for Veteran Moms and their children. 

Foreverly House will be located at 1214 Saratoga Road in the town of Ballston and next to Guardian House, where the Veterans & Community Housing Coalition (VCHC) provides housing and services for homeless Veteran women. It is the first known facility of its kind. 

A single Veteran Mom returning from service often chooses between giving up custody of her children to receive the support services she needs, or foregoing these essential services while making the transition back to civilian life. Without proper support, these women may continue to suffer from PTSD, sexual trauma, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders and homelessness.

A grassroots effort began three years ago to build Foreverly House. It was an idea born out of a conversation in a West Ave. eatery three years ago when Veterans Ball Honorary Chair Ray O’Conor, Tiffany Orner – a veteran of the Air Force, and Cheryl Hage-Perez – who had served as executive director of VCHC, shared a conversation during breakfast at Shirley’s Restaurant.   

The name Foreverly House – is named after the song “Foreverly,” written by local singer-songwriter Jeff Brisbin. 

Without funding from state or federal agency resources, Foreverly House became through the generosity of major donors such as Business For Good, Stewart’s Shoppes, The Saratoga Foundation, IUE-CWA Housing Corp., the American Legion, and the South Glens Falls High Marathon Dance, as well as donations from dozens of other businesses and hundreds of individuals who care deeply about our Veterans. Trinity Building and Construction Management Corp. is donating its services as the general contractor for the project. Several subcontractors and area suppliers are also donating or discounting their services or products.

Moms are still a rarity in the military. Women make up 16 percent of enlisted forces and 19 percent of the officer corps, and a minority of those women have children under 18, according to a November 2020 article “The ‘Gut Wrenching’ Sacrifice of Military Moms,” written by Jessica Grose and published in the New York Times. 

The Veterans & Community Housing Coalition hopes to complete the project and move the first Veteran Moms and their kids into Foreverly House in November. For more information, go to: www.vchcny.org/foreverly-house.