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Operation WEBS 2023 Capital Campaign Fund

Studies reviewed from 2021 shows there are more than two million women veterans currently living in the United States. Past research has shown that women who are experiencing homelessness, are often more likely to be veterans, than those in the general population. Furthermore, statistically one in three women veterans have experienced military sexual trauma (MST) ranging from repeated threatening sexual harassment to sexual and aggravated sexual assault. Further research revealed this study released last year from a Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) report cited online at https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-22-105360 which states, “SSVF officials said women veterans are more likely than men to be living with children and thus, require larger, more expensive apartments”. These are just two of the multiple, credible, female veteran statistics available from online government and institutional resources.

Since we began our mission in 2018 at Operation WEBS, we’ve been working together with county officials to develop the first tiny home farming community in North Santa Barbara County, CA where women veterans can safely reside together in our tiny home community as a part of our rapid re-housing initiative. Our program initiative is designed for women veterans to live and work together on the farm (Restoration Ranch) to rebuild their lives through responsibility, purpose, farm work, and camaraderie, while receiving veteran supportive services they so desperately need and deserve. We have also developed relationships with local Trades Unions (Plumber, Electricians, Carpenters) to not only partner in the construction of our Tiny Homes on Wheels (THOW), but also to educate our veterans on Apprenticeship opportunities available to them in California and across the United States. Some of our milestones can be explored via the the following links to news stories over the past four years:

Operation WEBS and our partners are relentlessly working to develop a 10 acre farming community where women veterans can rebuild their lives together through responsibility, renewed purpose, and organic permaculture and animal care programs, while receiving various veteran supportive services. Veteran resources already secured include transportation to and from appointments, tele-healthcare for counseling needs, new career opportunities with the Building Trades Unions for Apprenticeships, new education opportunities local Allan Hancock Community College Veterans Services Department, and job placement, to name a few. The services offered include but are by no means limited to the following:

AFFORDABLE HOUSING: Our high quality, ANSI certified, tiny homes on wheels (THOW) offers safe and affordable housing solutions to underserved women veterans, which is our top priority at OpWEBS. We have worked to provide rapid re-housing through word of mouth, SSVF, Good Samaritan, and HUD VASH for long and short term housing stability.

STABILITY: Women Veterans currently couch surfing or living unhoused in cars, or on the streets in vulnerable situations can find safety and support at OpWEBS! (DD-214)

HEALING: Holistic therapy through organic gardening and permaculture development, farm animal care, buddy system nature walks and self reflection, and organic conversations which develop to sharing experiences all contributes to the security and stability… read more…