ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — November marks National Veterans and Military Families Month, celebrating important members of our military community.

But nationally and here, locally there are veterans that are being overlooked.

Female veterans make up more than 10% of the United States Military and often face challenges after leaving service, like homelessness.

“We are veterans as well. We deserve to be heard and paid attention to,” said Sharita Taylor, a local veteran.  

Taylor is crafting her next chapter.

She’s loved all things hair since she was a teen, but now she’s working on becoming a barber.

“It’s been really different, and I know it is more of a male dominated environment, so I was like, let’s take on the challenge. To me, I see it as an obstacle course,” she said.

She’s no stranger to obstacles as an Army veteran and a single mom. This gives her hope as she works on building a new life outside of the military for herself and her family. 

“I may not have a lot in life, but me doing this is enough for me and it allows for me to use it as a therapeutic key to work through whatever it is that I am going through,” Taylor said.

Back in April, Taylor became homeless. After struggling for months, she’s connecting with Orange County Veterans Services.

That’s where Program Manager Alnita Whitt is focused on helping vets like Taylor.

“We have a lot of women veterans that unfortunately shelters are more geared towards men and there are a lot of women that need that housing, that needs that shelter, and it’s just not there for them,” Whitt said.

It’s a gap in services that many female veterans can get lost in.

“We tend to slip through it because its majority male ran, and it is common,” said Whitt.

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — from 2020 to 2023, homelessness among female veterans increased by nearly 24%. Taylor, who deployed to Afghanistan, shared she’s been turned away from shelters geared toward vets because they don’t take women or children, making it harder for her to find a steady job, a home, and seek treatment for her PTSD. 

“For me to suffer what I did, I am still kind of in shock. I am still kind of in shock. I am going to be completely honest. I am still in shock, but it’s not something I haven’t experienced. I have seen every part of dark you could ever see and it hurts. That is the best way I could explain it,” said Taylor. “It hurts.”

Whitt is working to help change things.

“We haven’t looked or taken the time to dive into finding solutions for the women because we have more men that need the service than women,” said Whitt.

Through her network of Orange County connections, she’s confident she can help serve Taylor, who sacrificed so much serving the country. 

“I wanted to take myself out several times because I felt like I wasn’t being heard but now I am,” said Taylor. “There’s people that’s willing to be in your corner you just have to get to the right place and it’s hard when you are in a dark place.”

Orange County Veterans Services is now helping shine a light on the future that could await Taylor.

Giving her faith that she’ll only weather homelessness a little while longer with new opportunities on the horizon.

“Hopefully, this is the best foot forward for everybody to understand women. We need to be heard too,” said Taylor.

If you are a homeless veteran in need of assistance in Orange County, veterans services are ready to connect you to the help you need.

“You know when you go to one office and they say ‘Oh, well we can’t help you here, go see this office,’ that in itself is a huge battle, so I want our office to be that one stop shop you know where you can come in sit down and talk to us. And let yes know what you need. And we will reach out, we will try to connect you to those resources and give a warm hand off rather than giving you a number and saying, ‘Hey, try this number. See what they can do for you and get nowhere,’” said Whitt.

To connect with Orange County Veterans services, call them at 407-836-8990. Their Citizen Resource and Outreach Division Office is located at 2100 East Michigan St., Orlando, Fla., 32806. They do take walk in clients.

For more resources for veterans, click here.