Homes for the Brave Gala, Fri. May 9

ABRI/Homes for the Brave encourages you to demonstrate your support for homeless male and female veterans at the group's 6th annual gala evening, "Salute 2014" on Friday, May 9 at 7 p.m. at the St. Ann Club, 16 Hendricks Avenue in Norwalk.

During this unique event, ABRI/Homes for the Brave will present two local organizations, The Bridgeport Elks Lodge No. 36 and the Westport Arts Center, with its inaugural Heroes Salute Award for their work with veterans who are homeless.

Tickets are $100 per person ($150 for couples). Proceeds will benefit ABRI/Homes for the Brave, a Bridgeport-based non-profit that provides, with an emphasis on veterans, the housing, vocational and case management services necessary to help homeless individuals return to a productive and meaningful life.

Imagine not having a safe and secure place to call home after years of military service. Thirty-three percent of 207,759 United State Veterans are homeless. Eight percent of that number are women -- many who are caring for children. One in five of the general homeless population is a veteran. With 68,000 troops expected to return to the United States by the end of 2014, that number could climb even with the recent inroads made in reducing homelessness among veterans. One out of 13 of the 4,210 homeless individuals in Connecticut is a veteran.

Applied Behavioral Rehabilitation Institute, Inc. (ABRI), d/b/a Homes for the Brave in Bridgeport currently operates three programs, Homes for the Brave, a 42-bed transitional living facility for male Veterans and non-veterans who are homeless, the Waldorf Supportive Housing Program, a nine-unit permanent supportive housing program for male Veterans, and Female Soldiers: Forgotten Heroes (FS:FW), a 15-bed transitional living facility for homeless female Veterans and their children under 10 years of age. This program is housed within the PFC Nicholas A. Madaras Home named in memory of a young soldier from Wilton who was killed in action in 2006. The FS: FH program opened in 2011 due in great part to private fundraising efforts and the Veterans Administration Grant Per Diem program. Forty-seven women have participated since the program's inception. To date, ABRI/Homes for the Brave's three programs have served over 890 homeless individuals.

Shalini Madaras, who chairs the Board of Directors for ABRI/Homes for the Brave, explained that the Heroes Salute Award will complement a festive evening of activities featuring the Port 5 Naval Veterans Color Guard, a presentation of the flag, music and Italian hors d'oeuvres, wine, beer and dessert as well as unique auction items.

"We are recognizing the Westport Arts Center (WAC) for bringing its "WAC Gives Back" therapeutic arts program for special populations onsite at Homes for the Brave. WAC Artist in Residence Jermaine West, a Norwalk graffiti artist, encouraged the veterans to gather ideas and images that were meaningful to them and practice and refine them through sketching. Since October, the 25 veterans who participate worked in other media such as clay and even created colorful garden signs. The program's therapeutic component fosters collaboration, and the expression of ideas. In January, WAC hosted an exhibit in Westport highlighting the work that they are doing with our residents.

According to Joy Kiss, ABRI/Homes for the Brave CEO, the Bridgeport Elks Lodge No. 36, a fraternal organization dedicated to helping those in need, initiated a relationship with Homes for the Brave six years ago. "On the last Sunday of every month, the Elks Lodge No. 36 brings a special dinner to the residents along with some basic necessities for daily life. Initially their work was funded through their National Foundation, but they now raise the funds on their own to do this great work."

Shalini Madaras is heading up the core group of volunteers who are organizing the "Salute 2014" Gala Evening. She emphasizes the importance of this event in demonstrating support for U.S. veterans. "Salute 2014 is our main annual fundraising event. It is our goal to offer quality housing and the best possible supportive programs to rebuild the civilian lives of these veterans. Since funding for our efforts is entirely dependent on grants, private donations and fundraising efforts, we depend on and are hoping for enthusiastic participation from the community."

There is still time to sign up as a sponsor or to place an advertisement in the program book as a show of support to the men and women who have given so much for our country. To register for the event, go to www.homesforthebrave/support-us/salute2014 or call Olivia Ellwanger at (203) 338-0669 or email at oellwanger@homeforthebrave.org.

Honorary and regular committee members and sponsors include the following:

Event Sponsors and Underwriters
(as of March 25, 2014)
Hero Level—Companies include Blue Buffalo Company and Nielsen along with several individual donors
Eagle Level—General Electric, Nestlé Waters North America, Knights of Columbus Council 12698
Patriot--McMahon Ford and Resnick Investment Advisors, LLC

Committee members
Shalini Madaras, Chair (Wilton)
Olivia Ellwanger (Norwalk)
Debra Fink (Wilton)
Syd and Mindy Gordon (Wilton)
Joy Kiss (Milford)
Rose Krivoshik (Wilton)
Dee Lippman (Westport)
Claudia Nielsen (Easton)
Nancy Pantoliano (Wilton)
Will Perez (Norwalk)
Mark and Anne Ryan (Wilton)
Jessica Shafer, United States Coast Guard
Marla Sinchak (Wilton)
SSG Juliet Taylor (Bridgeport)
Denise Walsh (Stamford)
Tim Woody, United States Coast Guard

Honorary Committee Members
Honorary Committee members are U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal; Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman; State Senator Toni Boucher; State Senator Bob Duff as well as State Representative Gail Lavielle; Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling; and Bridgeport City Council President Thomas McCarthy. Other Honorary Committee members are Tony Aitoro, owner of Aitoro Appliance in Norwalk; Dr. Laurie Harkness, founder and Director of VA Connecticut Healthcare System's Errera Community Care Center (ECCC) and actors Christopher Meloni and Joseph Pantoliano.

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Submitted by Fairfield, CT

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