A group of women veterans at a conference table.

Serving Oregon’s Women Veterans

Almost 300,000 military veterans live in Oregon today. Nearly one out of ten of them is a woman (the fastest growing demographic). And as is the case for their male counterparts, women veterans can find it challenging to connect with the array of benefits they earned in service to our county.

The Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs (ODVA), often with the help of Oregon Lottery funding, seeks to connect women veterans, listen to their stories, and bring awareness and policy advocacy to the issues that matter most — shaping a better future for the current and next generation of women veterans in Oregon.

Laura sits with her two dogs on a couch at Tanner Project

The Tanner Project — Tackling Veteran Homelessness

It’s estimated that one in ten people experiencing homelessness are military veterans. And for the same reasons that men sometimes struggle with a transition back to civilian life, women veterans struggle too. Unfortunately, since they represent a smaller percentage of those in need of a hand up, the needs of women veterans are sometimes overlooked.

Thanks in part to Lottery grants, the Tanner Project in Salem provides transitional housing to both male and female veterans who need a path back to stable housing.

Pictured: Tanner resident Laura Bailey with her support dogs Zoey and Frankie.

More About the Tanner Project
Exterior view of Courtney Place veteran housing in Salem

Courtney Place — Low Income Veteran Housing

Similarly, the Salem YMCA’s Courtney Place was designed with the needs of both male and female veterans in mind. The facility includes 34 apartments for low-income or housing-insecure veterans, along with wraparound services to help provide the skills they will need to succeed in life moving forward. Made possible by Lottery-backed bonds, Courtney Place opened its doors to residents in early 2024.

Learn About Courtney Place

Veterans in the Workforce

Oregon Lottery woman vet employee Angela

Including at the Oregon Lottery!

Meet Angela. She’s a valued member of our Player Services department, helping lottery winners claim their prizes. After serving in the Army, Angela spent many years as a funeral director before making her career switch to the Lottery. A genuine people-person, Angela prides herself on being able to put smiles on faces, previously on what might have been her clients’ hardest day, and, now, what might be their happiest!

Angela credits the military with creating confident, reliable workers in civilian life — workers who have pride in their work and a sense of commitment. She’s just one of the military veteran employees who embodies all those qualities here at the Oregon Lottery.

Two women vets pose for a photo

Resources for Women Veterans

If you are — or if you know — a woman veteran, connect with available services through the ODVA. Information on health care, trauma, upcoming conferences and more are centralized for your convenience. Check it out!

Learn More

LOTTERY DOLLARS DOING GOOD THINGS IN YOUR COMMUNITY