Veterans resource center with a H.E.A.R.T
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 12,000 veterans live in Butler County.
While it’s hard to know how many of them many be looking for assistance, it’s important the community be prepared to offer whatever assistance it can to veterans in need.
With that in mind, Eagle staff writer William Pitts in a report Tuesday gave us an update on Robin’s Home, a veterans’ support organization. Started in 2019, the nonprofit is on the verge of launching its new Veterans’ H.E.A.R.T. Resource Center on Main Street in Butler.
According to the organization’s website, the mission of the Resource Center is “to honor and support our nation’s veterans by providing a comprehensive and inclusive resource center. We strive to create a welcoming and empowering environment that assists veterans by offering a range of services including education, employment assistance, health care advocacy, computer lab, food bank, clothing, household goods, weekly support groups, and community engagement. Through collaboration and a commitment to excellence, we aim to empower veterans to achieve their fullest potential.”
The organization set an opening date of Friday, March 8. The opening “heartwarming party” ceremony will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. that day.
“This event marks not only the opening of a new facility, but also a renewed pledge to support our veterans and active military members,” wrote Mary Chitwood, Robin’s Home founder, in a news release. “As a proud member of the Robin's Home family of services, the Veterans H.E.A.R.T. Resource Center is dedicated to creating an environment that nurtures growth, healing and connection.”
While Robin’s Home mainly focuses on serving female veterans through its supportive housing program, the veterans’ resource center will target veterans of all ages.
Among the features of the new center are a recreation room, a computer lab, a donation room for clothing and nonperishable items, and a conference room to hold support group meetings.
According to the organization’s website, the mission of Robin’s Home is “to provide a full continuum of care to homeless, unstably housed or low income women veterans and their children.”
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs says the total number of veterans who experienced homelessness nationally in 2023 was 35,574 — an increase of 7.4% over January 2022. The estimated number of veterans experiencing homelessness in America has declined by 52% since 2010.
The VA also reports that in 2020, the unadjusted suicide rate of veteran men was 33.7 per 100,000, and it was 13.8 per 100,000 for veteran women.
The veterans of Butler have options and opportunities to help lift them out of bad situations. Robin’s Home has been helping women veterans in the area. Now, all veterans will have another source for help. We applaud Robin’s Home and look forward to reporting on the organization’s ongoing success.
— RJ
