Felicia Reeves Home: Temporary housing for women Veterans facing homelessness

This project supports renovations needed to open a 12-bedroom temporary home in Hendersonville, NC, for U.S. women Veterans facing homelessness. Once open, the Felicia Reeves Home will provide private living and bathing quarters for up to 12 women and their pets. No other housing alternative programs allow an individual to keep their pets, which are often emotional support animals for Veterans in crisis. Once fully renovated, this facility will provide women Veterans a refuge where they can connect, regain hope and begin a new path to self-sufficiency.

Project Need
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, female Veterans comprise the fastest-growing segment of the homeless population. From 2016 to 2017, the number of homeless female Vets increased by seven percent, compared with one percent for their male counterparts. Female homeless Veterans have unique needs from their homeless male Veteran counterparts and lived military life differs from civilian homeless women where they feel like outcasts among people without experience with military life. They often have mental health concerns like depression, Post Traumatic Stress (PTS), substance abuse and suicidal thoughts.

In western North Carolina, the number of beds available to female versus male Veterans is extremely disproportionate with only 20 beds available to females and 148 beds available to male Veterans.

AHWV aims to increase the number of bed availability for homeless women Veterans in western NC from a current 6.3% to 14% availability. According to state statistics, 14% of women Veterans are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Currently in NC, there are no other shelters or transition housing providing shelter dedicated to female Veterans only. Female Veterans regain self-worth at a faster pace when housed with fellow Veterans experiencing similar issues as they are.