First of its Kind: Help on the Way for Veteran Moms

by Thomas Dimopoulos Saratoga TODAY

BALLSTON — A groundbreaking ceremony was held on June 27 for Foreverly House - a two-family home that will provide transitional housing for Veteran Moms and their children.

Foreverly House will be located at 1214 Saratoga Road in the town of Ballston and next to Guardian House, where the Veterans & Community Housing Coalition (VCHC) provides housing and services for homeless Veteran women. It is the first known facility of its kind.

A single Veteran Mom returning from service often chooses between giving up custody of her children to receive the support services she needs, or foregoing these essential services while making the transition back to civilian life. Without proper support, these women may continue to suffer from PTSD, sexual trauma, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders and homelessness.

A grassroots effort began three years ago to build Foreverly House. It was an idea born out of a conversation in a West Ave. eatery three years ago when Veterans Ball Honorary Chair Ray O’Conor, Tiffany Orner – a veteran of the Air Force, and Cheryl Hage-Perez - who had served as executive director of VCHC, shared a conversation during breakfast at Shirley’s Restaurant.

The name Foreverly House – is named after the song “Foreverly,” written by local singer-songwriter Jeff Brisbin.

Without funding from state or federal agency resources, Foreverly House became through the generosity of major donors such as Business For Good, Stewart’s Shoppes, The Saratoga Foundation, IUE-CWA Housing Corp., the American Legion, and the South Glens Falls High Marathon Dance, as well as donations from dozens of other businesses and hundreds of individuals who care deeply about our Veterans. Trinity Building and Construction Management Corp. is donating its services as the general contractor for the project. Several subcontractors and area suppliers are also donating or discounting their services or products.

Moms are still a rarity in the military. Women make up 16 percent of enlisted forces and 19 percent of the officer corps, and a minority of those women have children under 18, according to a November 2020 article “The ‘Gut Wrenching’ Sacrifice of Military Moms,” written by Jessica Grose and published in the New York Times.

The Veterans & Community Housing Coalition hopes to complete the project and move the first Veteran Moms and their kids into Foreverly House in November. For more information, go to: www.vchcny.org/foreverly-house.

Ballston

Kathleen Engle sold property at 18 Parkwood Dr to Nicholas Gallo for $460,000

Lauria Rockwell sold property at 13 Cornerstone Dr to Bernard Brennan for $375,000

Eastline Holdings LLC sold property at 15 Timber Creek Dr to Avinash Kotapati for $616,755

Brookview Court sold property at 44 Arcadia Ct to Seth Hendrick for $375,267

Terry Dingman sold property at 975 Rt 67 to BBL Ridgeback LLC for $350,000

Eastline Holdings LLC sold property at 3 Linden Ct to Christine Shields for $471,864

Greenfield

Jenna Leskovec sold property at 4444 NYS TR 9N to Sammy Foda for $312,000

Stewarts Shops Corp sold property at 26 Locust Grove Rd to William Bohrer for $200,000

Jodi Urbaniak sold property at 36 Southwest Pass to Nicholas Deyette for $320,000

Timothy Schultz sold property at 99 Goose Hollow Rd to Style Counsel LLl for $316,500

MALTA

Malta Land Company LLC sold property at 4 Spinnaker Dr. to Thomas Turkenkopf for $796,410

Daniel French sold property at 234 Thimbleberry Rd to Matthew Ilnycky for $290,000

Michaels Group Homes LLC sold property at 29 Wiggins Dr to Wilma Mosley for $467,050

Saratoga

8 Burgoyne LLC sold property at 8 Burgoyne St to 2 Ranger Road LLC for $290,000

Saratoga Springs

434 444 Church St LLC sold property at 440 Church St to Ramsey Weaver Properties LLC for $485,000

Beechwood Saratoga LLC sold property at 43 Jenna Jo Ave to Gardner Cummings for $1,793,550

Greenbush Renewal Holdings LLC sold property at 88 Ballston Ave to Benjamin Moeller for $429,500.

John Sigsby sold property at 33 Caroline St to RSJATTTOS9 LLC for $499,000

John Famosi sold property at 313 Jefferson St to Marini Residential Services LLC for $250,000

Saratoga Affordable Housing Group sold property at 70 Jefferson St to Thomas Ruane for $425,000.

Carmella Mayette sold property at 41 Jaipur Ln to Edward Towers for $309,000.

Nicole Lattera sold property at 24 York Ave to Cole Rock LLC for $1,100,000

Westside Station LLC sold property at 17B Marvin Alley to 1560 Skyline Dr LLC for $850,000

Mark Carpenter sold property at 00 Doten Ave to Marini Residential Services LLC for $317,000.

Wilton

Irina Polsinelli sold property at 319 Louden Rd to Allen Rock for $450,000.

Stand By Me Holdings LLC sold property at 36 Fairway Blvd to Gregory Mitouart for $401,000