Robin’s Home to close its resource center in Butler
Though it’s closing its resource center, a local veterans assistance agency plans to continue its focus on operating transitional housing services for women veterans.
Robin’s Home, a transitional housing service for female veterans and their children, opened its Veterans H.E.A.R.T. Resource Center at 357 N. Main St. in March of 2024.
In a letter the organization plans to send out on social media, it said the resource center will close down Sept. 1. While the center has been a valuable resource, the letter said, limited funding has made it difficult to continue offering its services.
“Moving forward, we will focus our full attention and resources on sustaining Robin’s Home itself, ensuring that women veterans and their children have a safe place to live, heal, and rebuild their lives,” the letter said.
Justin Searle, board president of Robin’s Home, said the board decided closing the resource center was needed so the organization could focus on running its transitional housing services.
“It’s really came to our attention recently the center isn’t sustainable, and sadly, we’ve decided to shut down the resource center. The only reason we’re doing that is so we can focus back on the house, which we originally started six years ago,” Searle said. “The center has served hundreds of veterans and their families. We’re sad to see it go but it’s necessary.”
The organization gets its funding primarily from grants, but also holds fundraisers.
When the center first opened, resources offered included a computer lab, a recreation room, a donation center for food and clothing items, and a conference room to host a weekly support group for female veterans.
The original home, located on East Pearl Street, opened in 2019. It aims to provide care for homeless and low-income female veterans and their children.
“We started with the housing for female vets and their children. We were one of the only places in the country there for that purpose; and their children, that’s what makes it unique,” Searle said. “That has to be our priority. There are a lot of other resources in Butler County to help these veterans in the same fashion we have.
“And we want to be there for them first and foremost. We’re still going to be manning our phones and providing whatever support we can and resources, recommending where those veterans can turn if a vet calls and says they’re hungry, we’ll still try to help them get food through that channel.”
In the letter from Robin’s Home, the organization encouraged veterans in need of resources to call 878-822-FLAG. It also promoted the VA Butler Healthcare and the veterans crisis line, which is available by dialing 988 then pressing 1, as places veterans can reach out to if they are considering self-harm or in need of support.
“We didn’t take this decision lightly. This has been months and months of looking at our finances and looking at ways to keep it going. This decision was made with a heavy heart,” Searle said.
