Courtesy of Veterans & Community Housing Coalition
By Rod Bacon
An idea floated at a breakfast meeting at Shirley’s Diner in Saratoga Springs six years ago has finally come to fruition.
Three local residents — Cheryl Hage-Perez, Ray O’Conor and Tiffany LeAndrea — were planning the annual Veterans’ Ball, a fund raiser for the Ballston Spa-based Veterans & Community Housing Coalition.
Eventually, the conversation turned to the unmet needs of veterans. LeAndrea, an Air Force veteran with two children, mentioned the fact that there wasn’t a facility where veteran women in similar situations could find housing and support services while they are making the often difficult transition from the military to civilian life.
“Later that night Ray called me and said ‘We need to do something for veterans in this situation’,” Hage-Perez said. “That’s how Foreverly House started to take shape.”
The inspiration for the name came from a song entitled “Foreverly” penned in 2017 by local singer/songwriter Jeff Brisbin.
Foreverly House is comprised of two separate living spaces, each with its own entrance and each featuring four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, dining area, pantry, and laundry room, ensuring privacy and comfort for the families. It will welcome its first residents June 1.
“Beyond housing, Foreverly House provides on-site counseling and facilitates access to essential services, empowering veteran mothers to rebuild their lives while keeping their families intact,” said Hage-Perez, executive board liaison for the Veterans & Community Housing Coalition.
It cost approximately $800,000 to build and was paid for by grass-roots fund raising efforts and community support from Stewart’s Shops, Business For Good, and the South Glens Falls High School Marathon Dance, among many others. The Veterans’ Ball, now in its 10th year, raises approximately $80,000 from each event.
Local businesses also stepped up and provided an array of in-kind services and supplies. These included design/architecture by Dan Sanders and John Muse, surveying by Bill Thompson, project management by Trinity Construction, counter tops from Granite & Marble Works, and appliances from MJG Appliances, among others.
“These communities and business people we work with are so generous to our veterans,” said Hage-Perez. “It’s amazing and very much appreciated.”
The coalition has approval to build four more units and they have secured funding for two. The new units will be adjacent to Foreverly House.
While the women and their children could stay in coalition housing permanently, experience indicates that they will not. Hage-Perez said they want to be independent and have their own home and a stable environment for their children.
To help them achieve their personal goals each woman is assigned a case manager who helps them find a path forward. Case managers assist them in getting a job, returning to school, applying for disability, and resolving any medical issues they or their children may have. They also act as a liaison between the mothers and the schools to ensure the children have a stable educational environment. The coalition has linkage agreements with the Veterans Administration, legal aid, Wellspring, and Saratoga Hospital to provide the necessary services.
While all of the coalition’s facilities are in Saratoga County, it administrates a variety of veterans’ programs in Warren, Washington, Fulton, Montgomery, Schenectady, and Schoharie counties. While Foreverly House is the only facility in the region specifically designed to assist single veteran mothers and their children, the coalition board of directors is discussing the possibility of building one in Warren County.
“The board is very much in favor of more development and we will be looking outside of Saratoga County,” said Hage-Perez.”
For more information about the services offered by the Veterans & Community Housing Coalition go to vchcny.org.