
Compiled by The Bedford Citizen
As Veterans Day approaches, two groups of local volunteers — Womenade and Neighbor Brigade — are engaged in welcoming the 69 new residents who recently moved into Bedford Green (read more about the project by clicking here) at the VA Campus on Springs Road.
Womenade
Since 2005, a group of Bedford women under the banner Bedford Womenade have raised funds to help local residents at quarterly potluck gatherings and at Feva Diva Relieva, a fun-filled Saturday morning fundraiser that takes place each spring.
All women are invited to participate in their upcoming potluck on November 18. It will be a social and charitable evening dedicated to supporting and welcoming the Veterans who have recently moved into our community at Bedford Green.
Guests are asked to bring dish or drink to share at the dinner, and a suggested donation of $35.00 which will be used to buy community items for the Veterans new home.
For more information please visit www.bedfordwomenade.org.
Bedford’s Neighbor Brigade
In mid-October, Bedford’s Neighbor Brigade Coordinator Amy Mason reached out to her mailing list, “You may have heard about the Veteran’s supportive housing project where the Bedford Veterans Hospital was selected as one of 23 sites nationwide to create permanent residential units for homeless Veterans! 69 homeless Veterans have since moved in and now have new permanent homes at the Bedford Green. Residents live independently and have access to social workers, medical care, a shuttle around Bedford and more.”
Mason contacted Bedford Green’s Residential Service Coordinator and learned that one of the Veterans’ biggest need right now is hygiene products, so the Brigade set out to fill 70 goodies bags – one for each Veteran with a welcome note. The Coordinator and their team thought it would be fun to host a dinner for the Veterans where they will hand out their goodie bags, so desserts for their dinner party went onto the sign-up list along with goodies for the bags, and volunteers to pack them.