October 21, 2011 will be a landmark day in the State of Connecticut. On that day Homes for the Brave/ABRI will hold the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Connecticut's very first transitional, supportive housing facility exclusively for Female Veterans who are homeless.

The PFC Nicholas A. Madaras Home which will house this project is named for a soldier who gave his life for his country and whose family was instrumental in establishing it. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held on Friday October 21, 2011 at 10:00 AM at 66 Elmwood Ave., Bridgeport, CT. The public is encouraged to attend the ceremony as tours of the facility will be led by -FS:FH- staff following the ceremony.

Residency at the facility will be limited to 2 years during which time the 15 Veteran residents will receive health care, case management, gender-specific counseling, assistance in finding permanent housing and vocational skills-training, both in-house and through collaboration with community partners. The program is designed to help these Veterans become independent and enable them to lead productive and meaningful lives again.

The -Female Soldiers:Forgotten Heroes- (FS:FH) project has been in development for 4 years. It is a community-based project which has become a reality solely through Government VA Per Diem Grant and the support and donations of private citizens and local businesses and through the efforts of a dedicated and talented group of volunteers. We hope it will serve as a shining example of what the citizens of this country can achieve in time of need.

To support the continued operation of this residence our main fund-raising Gala event will be held on May 5, 2012 in Norwalk, CT. Details will be available at a later date. For more information please visit www.HomesfortheBrave.org or www.KickForNick.org or view our brochure.