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We are pleased to share exciting news and the latest accomplishments from Operation Sisterhood, our 2024 grantee. Since the program start-up was slower than anticipated, some of the funds for the program were not utilized as quickly as expected so YWCA has requested a six-month extension of the grant term to December 2025.
Since the start of 2025, Operation Sisterhood has experienced dynamic growth and has achieved many milestones including the recruitment of vital personnel, active participation in several impactful community-building programs positively affecting the health and wellness of many women veterans, and on-site therapeutic services for an increasing number of female veterans at risk.
Here’s how our funding has been supporting their rapid expansion since the start of 2025:
PERSONNEL
- Lucy Del Gaudio, a seasoned US Army veteran, officially joined the Operation Sisterhood staff as a salaried employee in January after the WUIP grant was awarded in June 2025 (she volunteered the first six months of the program). She is splitting the fulltime Case Manager position with Liliana Rosario, a US Navy Veteran. Lucy and Liliana work side by side supporting case management of the current caseload, planning programs and providing community outreach. Currently, a total of 26 women vets are receiving regular case management support to assist them in navigating services and meet their needs.
- YWCA/Operation Sisterhood will be hiring a clinician to provide about 12 hours per month of individual and group support with 2-4 hours of clinical supervision for the therapist.
- YWCA’s newest hire, Natalie Ramey, Grant & Data Analyst, has been an asset to disseminating information about the program.
PROGRAM IMPACT & OUTREACH
- Operation Sisterhood participates in many community-building activities including:
- NJ SOS Veteran Stakeholder Spring Stand Down where 60 women veterans received toiletry bags/feminine hygiene products, as well as business attire donated by WUIP members.
- A hospital-sponsored mammogram screening of 35 women veterans.
- Women’s Veteran’s Day Celebration engaged 58 women veterans.
- Lunch & Learn sessions for 20 women veterans in partnership with Bergen New Bridge Medical Center.
- Serving women veterans with on-going workforce support and housing linkages.
- Counseling services from Healing Space to address PTSD from Military Sexual Trauma was made available to women military veterans.
- Visibility for Operation Sisterhood and the issues women veterans continue to face after active duty has been spotlighted by testimony Lucy Del Gaudio and YWCA CEO Helen Archontou have provided to the New Jersey Assembly and Senate Military Affairs community.
Donna Italiano & Judy Liebman
2024 Grant Liaisons