News
Save the Only National Memorial Honoring Women's Military Service
Friday, April 21, 2017 | Category: History/Heritage - ME
The "Women in Military Service for America (WIMSA), women veterans' memorial at Arlington Cemetery in Virginia faces closure nearly 20 years after it was chartered. Commonly known as the "Women's Memorial," it officially opened in October 1997. PRWeb notes that it is the "only national memorial to recognize and honor the service of America's almost 3 million military women who have proudly served since the American Revolution. Initially, Congress earmarked money for the Women's Memorial to assist with operating costs, but in 2010 the Congressional funding stopped." Since 2010, the memorial's doors remained open through personal donations. The "Women's Memorial," partnered with the Academy Women's Military Women eMentor Community to launch a fundraising campaign that began November 4, 2016. The campaign's goal is to raise $20 for every living woman veteran. If the campaign target is met, the $20 million dollars will keep the memorial open for the next 20 years and remain a "rallying point for current military women and a pilgrimage site for women veterans. The Memorial tells the story of women's service to over 150,000 visitors every year and almost 300,000 permanent registrations by current and veteran military women have been recorded and preserved for future generations."
Donations accepted via:
Online at: www.FundRazr.com: http://www.fundrazr.com/SaveTheWomensMemorial
US Postal mail:
Please download and complete the Donation Form at: http://www.womensmemorial.org/PDFs/RegForm.pdf
Mail donation form to:
Women's Memorial Foundation
Dept. 560
Washington, DC 20042-0560
Other questions, call: 800-222-2294 or 703-533-1155
Spread the word...Twitter #!: #SistersLetsGetThisDone #20-4-20 #SaveTheWomensMemorial
Augusta Home for Homeless Female Veterans Nears Completion
Thursday, April 13, 2017 | Category: Housing/Experiencing Homelessness - ME
The Betsy Ann Ross House of Hope hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on April 13, 2017. The house will be a safe home for a total of eight women veterans and their children. Founder Martha St. Pierre is focusing on completion of the first floor in the near future and then, welcoming the first two women veterans in need of transitional housing. When opened, the Home will be the sole home in Maine serving only women veterans and their children who are either experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. With a permanent address, it becomes much easier to connect veterans, and maintain that connection, with Department of Veterans Affairs services and benefits program managers, State of Maine veteran employment and education centers, and partner with other state and community agencies. Financial literacy, healthy cooking, and other personal support will be offered.
Bipartisan Bill Looks to Help Veterans with Real ID Problem
Friday, March 10, 2017 | Category: Health Care - ME
Maine military veterans using New Hwmpshire Department of Veterans Affairs services could not continue to access these services with their Maine driver's license as of January 1, 2017 due to a the lack of identification required by the federal 2005 Real ID law. Maine and four other states have not complied with federal guidance to date. In the meantime, state legislation was submitted to fund federal passport cards for these veterans until Maine resolves compliance.
New Facility Planned for Togus to Aid Caregivers of Veterans
Sunday, February 19, 2017 | Category: Health Care - ME
The Fisher House Foundation is funding the construction of a 16-suite facility on the grounds of the Maine VA Maine Togus campus. It will provide free lodging for caregivers of patients receiving treatment on campus. To date, the Fisher House Foundation has 71 houses on 24 military installations and at 29 Veterans Affairs medical centers worldwide.
Documentary Screening and Discussion About Female Veterans (March 1, 2017, 6:30 p.m.)
Friday, February 17, 2017 | Category: History/Heritage - ME
“Soldier On: Life After Deployment” (2016, USA), will be screened at the Strand Theater, 265 Main Street, Rockland, Maine on Wednesday, March 1, at 6:30 p.m., to kick off Women's History Month 2017. A panel discussion with award-winning filmmaker Susan M. Sipprelle, two of the women featured in her film, and Maine women veterans will follow the screening.
Veterans Now Have a Seat at the Table in Congress
Friday, January 27, 2017 | Category: Health Care - ME
Congressman Bruce Poliquin, Maine's 2d Congressional District, was appointed to the House Veterans Affairs Committee. This congressional committee is the congressional body responsible for all legislative matters relevant to improving care and services for veterans, including congressional oversight of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Maine Uses Military Settlement to Buy House for Veteran Resource Center
Tuesday, January 3, 2017 | Category: Advocacy/Outreach - ME
Ruth Moore, a Navy veteran of Milbridge, purchased a home with monies she received from a Department of Veterans Affairs claim. She plans to collaborate with the University of Maine at Machias, offering students who "want to become counselors or work in social services to live in the four-bedroom house, located at 12 School St., as part of an internship. The long-term plan includes converting a garage into a 12-bed homeless shelter for veterans and building an addition that would house homeless veterans with families." She plans to be a 24/7 resource for Washington County.
SWAN Releases 1st Annual Survey of Service Women & Women Veterans
Monday, November 14, 2016 | Category: Advocacy/Outreach - ME
The Service Women's Action Network (SWAN) released its first annual "Survey of Service Women and Women Veterans" today. More than 1,200 people, including nearly 1,000 service women and women veterans of all ranks and services from all 50 states participated in the survey. Judy Patterson, the SWAN CEO, noted that they will be sharing the results with other veteran organizations. The survey will guide SWAN's future initiatives. The SWAN website notes: "The survey results were released during the first day of SWAN’s planning summit, which is bringing together a select group of service women, women veterans and subject matter experts to conduct deep dives into four categories that closely echo the survey: Service Women, Women Veterans, Public Education and Awareness, and Building a Sense of Community. The survey will be used to drive discussion and inform conclusions offered by the working groups during the planning summit." The survey broke out the top three 2016 personal and community challenges for service women and women veterans, provided additional insights regarding gender bias in the military, public awareness of service, media inclusion, and the need for stronger communities of women with military service.
Veterans Day: The One Constant After Election Day
Friday, November 11, 2016 | Category: History/Heritage - ME
Columnist Sarah Smiley offers her observations on how little the military and veterans were discussed during the 2016 elections. She notes that regardless of the election outcomes, our military and veterans are still here to do the job the nation asks them to do.
VA Celebrates New Strategic Partnerships on Veterans Day (Video)
Friday, November 11, 2016 | Category: Department of Veterans Affairs - ME
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced nine new strategic partnerships that will offer services to veterans and their families. This continuing effort to bring the public and private sectors together is one of their five MyVA strategies to better reach out to assist veterans within their communities.