Lisle Woman's Club Extends Reach to Homeless Veterans

How did the Lisle Woman’s Club manage to collect more than 500 pairs of underwear and 800 hygiene products for homeless veterans?

Lisle Woman’s Club member Joanne Ehrhardt said she became interested in assisting veterans after attending a meeting of the General Federation of Woman's at the Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital in Hines, Ill, this past summer. While there Ehrhardt met hospital staff Barbara Hunt, who mentioned an event called Stand Down. 

“It caught my attention as I had heard of it on the Sunday Morning Show on Channel 2 a few weeks prior to that,” Ehrhardt explained.

The events, sponsored by the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, are held across the nation and allow veterans to receive food, medical attention, hygiene supplies and clothing. It’s also an opportunity for veterans to connect with other veterans and pursue job connections.

The result? Ehrhardt got the club involved in the Stand Down this past November.

“[Hunt] and I talked about what types of clothes, especially for the women, because it hurt me to know that a woman, a mother would go to a war then be homeless,” Ehrhardt said.

While homeless veterans are in need of all types of clothing, Ehrhardt and the group agreed there is “nothing like a new pair of underwear.”

The club set a goal of collecting 300 pairs, and came out 510 pairs of brand new underwear, 846 personal products, seven pair of socks and one bra. Ehrhardt said the group will likely participate in the event again this April.