鈥業t蘑菇视频 not a hand-out, it蘑菇视频 a hand-up鈥�
Rendu House in Uniontown to serve homeless female veterans
Homeless and displaced female veterans and their children will now have a place to call home.
The Rendu House, a project of the nonprofit United Veterans Billeting of Fayette County, opened last week on Gallatin Avenue in Uniontown.
鈥淩ight now, women hold the higher percentage of homeless coming out of the military,鈥� said Ron Metros, founder of the nonprofit. 鈥淭here may not be as many women veterans, but the percentage among women veterans has a much higher (rate of homelessness) than the male veterans.鈥�
According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development the number of female veterans who experienced homelessness increased by over 24% from 2020 to 2023.
鈥淲e needed to do something about it,鈥� Metros said.
Rendu House is named after Rosalie Rendu, a French Catholic member of the Daughters of Charity who organized care for the poor in the Paris slums during the Industrial Revolution. The three story, 12-room home will house women and their children while they look for work and apply for veterans benefits.
United Veterans Billeting received most of the funding for the home through individual or private donations, said Cristen Cindric of Uniontown, the nonprofit蘑菇视频 secretary.
The house was donated to the organization in 2018 from the United Federal Credit Union, along with a $70,000 donation from Rendu Services for renovations that helped the team prepare the home.
As for the rest of the donations, Cindric and Metros said local businesses and residents have played an instrumental role in providing items such as bedding, food, toys, clothes and animal food for the shelter.
鈥淚t has taken as a village, to say the least,鈥� Cindric said. 鈥淚t蘑菇视频 been great.鈥�
Metros said he believes the county蘑菇视频 high veteran population led to the outpouring of support. The latest Census Bureau statistics indicate that 8.5% of people living in Fayette County are veterans, over 2% higher than the rest of Pennsylvania.
鈥淎 lot of people in this area, in one way or another, have been affected by people who came out of the services with disabilities,鈥� Metros said 鈥淎nd this issue hits a spot in their heart for a lot of them.鈥�
The Rendu House is the second homeless shelter house the nonprofit has opened in six years. In 2018, United Veterans Billeting opened a men蘑菇视频 facility on Lincoln Street in Uniontown.
Metros said he became passionate about helping veterans after taking care of his uncle, Paul Metros, when he returned from the Korean War. According to Metros, his uncle suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, a mental health condition triggered by a terrifying event that can cause flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety.
鈥淚 saw firsthand a lot of these places that housed these veterans,鈥� Metros said. 鈥淭hey basically institutionalize them. They put them into a building and then an attendant may look in on them once or twice a day, and that was it. It was sad, just sad.鈥�
While caring for his uncle, Metros said he spoke with psychiatrists and counselors who believed the best way to work with veterans struggling with mental health issues is to put them in a home setting.
鈥淚t was almost unanimous,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e need to put our vets in a house and make them feel comfortable, and frankly they鈥檒l begin to trust again.鈥�
The Rendu House can accommodate nine veterans and their children at one time. The house has a full kitchen, playroom for the kids, dining room, living room, laundry facility storage space and a possible home office for the women.
Guests will also be able to bring pets, which Cindric says could be important to those women who are trying to escape abusive or life-threatening situations.
鈥淚f you look at the statistics with domestic violence,鈥� Cindric said 鈥淲omen will not leave a domestic violence situation because they do not want to leave their children or animals behind 鈥� well that蘑菇视频 what we can offer to them now.鈥�
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, a nonprofit organization, estimates that around 65% of women are unable to leave abusive relationships out of concern over the safety of pets and children.
Along with providing a safe place for women to go to, Metros said the house would allow women a 鈥渃hance to breathe鈥� while figuring out what they want to do. The foundation will help assist the women with finding steady income and create stability in their lives.
Cindric said the organization plans to assess the needs of the women and will adjust accordingly.
鈥淚t蘑菇视频 a unique situation,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e are dealing with something completely different than the men蘑菇视频 shelter.鈥�
Along with providing a place to stay, Cindric said the nonprofit is currently working with a local school to potentially provide child care throughout the day for women that have to attend appointments throughout the day.
鈥淲e try to lift them up where they can survive on their own. We want them to get to a place where they can survive on their own. It蘑菇视频 not a handout, it蘑菇视频 a hand-up,鈥� Metros said.
Metros said the first guest will likely come to Rendu House in a few weeks. Veterans who would like more information on programs offered by United Veterans Billeting of Fayette County at 724-322-6570.
Donations can be made through the groups Paypal account paypal@theUnitedVeteransBilletingofFayettecounty