Baltimore Station opens first-ever transitional housing program for women veterans

WEST BALTIMORE — For the first time in its 37-year history, The Baltimore Station is opening its doors to women veterans.

The Baltimore nonprofit celebrated the opening of a new transitional housing program for women veterans Thursday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its facility on Baker Street.

The milestone comes after roughly four years of planning and development.

“It’s taken us about four years to get where we are today,” Executive Director Kim Callari said. “So needless to say, we are all very, very excited for this day to be here.”

The Baltimore Station has spent decades providing therapeutic residential treatment, transitional housing and other services primarily to male veterans experiencing homelessness and other challenges.

Callari said expanding those services to women became increasingly important as the organization heard directly from women veterans who were struggling to find resources.

“There are not a lot of services available for female veterans,” Callari said. “They are also one of the highest populations that need resources. So we saw the need and heard the call from female veterans.”

The new program will initially serve up to 10 women veterans.

Those accepted into the program will receive housing at no cost, along with meals, clothing, hygiene products and other necessities. Participants will also have access to a case manager, therapeutic programming, life-skills classes and additional support designed to help them regain stability and independence.

Callari said the program is starting small intentionally.

“We’ve got 37 years of experience in working with men, male veterans,” she said. “So we want to take it small and take it slow, but just very, very excited to be able to help women and see where the future is.”

To qualify for the transitional housing program, Callari said women must be veterans who are homeless and unemployed.

She said substance use disorder is not a requirement for admission, but The Baltimore Station is equipped to provide support to participants dealing with substance use challenges.

The program is funded through the Department of Veterans Affairs.

No women had moved into the facility as of Thursday’s ribbon-cutting. Callari said the organization expects to begin moving participants into the program at the end of October.

Community support has also played a major role in getting the project to opening day.

Callari credited the Department of Veterans Affairs, community organizations, individual donors and partners for helping make the program possible.

“Pretty much none” of the work could happen without outside support, she said.

“The amount of support that we get from the community is absolutely incredible,” Callari said. “To see people come and show up today and driving a couple hours away and in the middle of the day just means so much to us.”

Representatives from veteran organizations were among those who attended the ribbon-cutting.

Marguerite Stubbs, a 28-year Army veteran and member of Disabled American Veterans, said the opening represents a significant step for women who have struggled to find dedicated services.

Stubbs said she served on nine deployments and traveled to 92 countries during her military career. She now serves as a third junior vice commander and as chair of the organization’s women veterans committee.

“As a woman, I am just proud of the fact that we are making history at helping women veterans,” Stubbs said.

She said organizations have historically had greater capacity to help homeless male veterans, while women could be more difficult to reach because there were fewer centralized housing options available to them.

“For so many years I’ve worked with veterans and we’ve always had the capacity to support men with their homelessness, but it’s been difficult trying to find the homeless population because there was no central location for them to stay,” Stubbs said.

She said the two townhouses being used for The Baltimore Station’s program create a place where women can come off the streets, receive assistance and connect with veteran mentors and resources.

“We now have the ability to ensure that the women are coming off the streets and are getting the help that they need,” Stubbs said.

For Stubbs, the issue is also deeply personal.

She said she is a survivor of military sexual trauma, has experienced two traumatic brain injuries and lives with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Her message to other women veterans is to continue advocating for themselves and seeking help.

“You are not invisible. You can be seen. You are seen,” Stubbs said. “We are here to be your sister, your mentor and your guide.”

She encouraged women veterans to seek resources for both physical and mental health needs.

“Don’t stop trying to get the help you need,” Stubbs said. “Be an advocate for yourself because the help is there for you.”

Speakers at Thursday’s ceremony also focused on the reluctance some women veterans may feel about asking for assistance.

One speaker, whose own family has generations of military service, compared the new facility to a port of call during a deployment — a place where a service member can temporarily rest, rebuild and prepare for the next stage of the journey.

She told future residents that accepting assistance should not be viewed as weakness.

“We are often reluctant to ask for help,” she said. “We’re strong. We’re resilient, we’re gritty. We’ve been through some stuff. We’re used to taking care of ourselves, and we’re also used to taking care of others. But there is strength in accepting help too.”

Callari said she hopes women veterans who learn about the program understand that their service is valued and that help is available.

“We value their service. We value everything that they did for our country,” Callari said.

She urged women who need help — or anyone who knows a woman veteran who may be struggling — to contact The Baltimore Station.

“Come to us, join our family, join our community,” Callari said. “We will get them here and we will stand by their side as they go through this journey.”

The goal, she said, is to give women a safe home and the resources needed to rebuild their lives.

“They are not alone,” Callari said. “We are here to support them.”

The new women’s program may also be the beginning of a larger expansion for The Baltimore Station.

Callari said the organization first wants to make sure the new program succeeds while continuing to serve male veterans through its existing programs.

Long term, however, she said leaders would like to expand services for women and potentially create a facility capable of serving women veterans with children.

“Ultimately we would love to expand the women’s program and perhaps a facility that also includes children,” Callari said. “That’s something that is also very important to us.”

For now, she said the organization is focused on its first group of women veterans and what comes next.

“The future is very bright,” Callari said.