Nicole Steffy moved to Butler from Philadelphia on a Greyhound bus in August with only one bag.

After she served in the military from 2007 to 2009, Steffy struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder and military sexual trauma.

Her goal is to have her two children, who are 2 and 3, move in Robin's Home, a supportive housing program, with her.

“Safe haven. Help. Services. Resources,” is what the organization means to Steffy, she said. “The support they give me is amazing here. I came out here with one bag, now look what I have — a house.”

Eight General Richard Butler Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution members volunteered Saturday to organize donations at Robin's Home located at 401 E. Pearl St., a program that is specifically for female veterans and their children, as part of the group's service project.

“We really needed the help, it was a mess,” Steffy said.

Meaningful community service has played a central role in DAR's mission since the society's founding in 1890, said Martha Eberhardt, General Richard Butler Chapter regent. To honor the anniversary of its founding, members engage in service projects in their communities each year on or around Oct. 11.

“It's good to be helping,” Eberhardt said.

The word veteran usually connotes men, she said.

After Mary Chitwood, Robin's Home founder and executive director, spoke at the DAR's Constitution Day luncheon in September, the chapter selected the organization as its project this year, Eberhardt said.

“It's really great to have this many women come in and volunteer to help organize everything,” she said.

Currently, four female veterans are being housed, Chitwood said.

Robin's Home has housed six women since it opened in July, Chitwood said.

Since that time, the garage roof and wall have been repaired to create a central location for donations, including, clothing, household items and hygiene and cleaning products, she said.

“When a woman comes in, they can easily come down here and, if they need any of those items, we'll have it ready for them,” Chitwood said.

Chitwood is looking to update the home's third floor to add two additional bedrooms and a bath.

“We're trying to avoid having to pair two people to one room,” she said. “If we get the third floor done, it'll give us an opportunity to house people comfortably.”

The mission of Robin's Home is to provide a full continuum of care for homeless, unstably housed and low-income female veterans and their children in Butler County. It is also the first housing program that offers case management to help access benefits and resources to help the veterans gain skills for independent living.

If the numbers continue to grow, there would be a need to have another facility, she said.

Currently no Butler County agency provides emergency housing to homeless female veterans and their children.

As a volunteer organization, Chitwood is applying for grants to secure funding for administrative costs to hire additional staff to help with the case management for the women in the home, she said.

For the DAR members to take the time to volunteer at Robin's Home is a priceless and selfless act, said Tracy Wysocki Hickey, who is currently staying at Robin's Home after she was homeless.

“Women helping women is powerful,” said Wysocki Hickey, 44, who joined the Army in 1998 and served for six years.

Robin's Home has put a roof over her head, food in her mouth, clothes on her back and given her a bed to sleep in, she said. Wysocki Hickey has also volunteered herself and became a YMCA member.

Chitwood has brought resources to a struggling community, Wysocki Hickey said.

“Today, different generations, ethnic groups, beliefs, branches of service and service in the community ... came together,” she said. “That's what it's all about.”

Currently, Robin’s Home is seeking monetary donations to help with construction costs and materials to update a third floor.Donations can be made payable to Robin’s Home, c/o American Legion Post 778, Attn: Joseph Hasychak, 150 Legion Memorial Lane, Butler, PA 16001.