Soldier On awarded $100,000 from Newman's Own Foundation to develop women's wellness center in Northampton
NORTHAMPTON – Soldier On has been awarded a $100,000 grant over two years from Newman’s Own Foundation to develop a Women’s Wellness Center in Leeds.
Newman’s Own is an independent foundation created by the late actor and philanthropist, Paul Newman.
“The Soldier On Women’s Wellness Center provides a holistic approach to the recovery of women veterans who have faced homelessness, trauma and addiction,” said Cindy Nolan-Liston, a case manager for the women’s program at Soldier On.
“The Newman’s Own Foundation grant will give the women the opportunity to work on physical, mental and spiritual wellness so that a more complete recovery can be made,” Nolan-Liston said.
Soldier On is dedicated to providing housing and supportive services to homeless veterans. With the $100,000 grant from the Newman’s Own Foundation, Soldier On will develop a wellness center to support the women’s program.
The wellness center will be aligned with the peer managed housing and programs at the women’s program.
Yoga, meditation, stress management, peer support and nutrition are among the programs that will be available to the women at the center.
“We are proud of the men and women who have made innumerable sacrifices in service to our country,” said Robert Forrester, president of Newman’s Own Foundation. He added, “For nearly 20 years, we have been supporting the organizations that help our nation’s troops and their families.”
“Soldier On is proud to be selected by Newman’s Own as the vehicle to serve women veterans with a multifaceted treatment plan aimed at getting them back to the center of their lives,” said John F. Downing, president and CEO of Soldier On.
The women’s program at Soldier On has been providing services to women veterans since 2005. The program provides female veterans with a safe, structured environment that allows them to regain stability. Transitional housing units are located at the Leeds campus and house 12 female veterans in a duplex cottage. Aligned with Soldier On’s peer-to-peer support system, the cottage is managed and maintained by the women who live there.
