Female veterans in North Texas will soon have a new resource to help them navigate the entrepreneurial world.
On Monday, ground was broken for the first Women Veterans’ Enterprise Center at the Veterans Resource Center at 4900 S. Lancaster Road in South Dallas.
The center will serve a growing segment of the area’s veteran population.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, roughly 10 percent of all military veterans are women, with that percentage expected to grow to 15 percent by 2030.
“As the fastest growing veteran population, VA North Texas Health Care System is proud to support the Women Veterans’ Enterprise Center to help women veterans flourish as business owners,” said Leslie Snowden-Crawford, the system’s women veterans program manager. “This groundbreaking marked a special tribute to North Texas women veterans.”
“This groundbreaking marked a special tribute to North Texas women veterans.”
Leslie Snowden-Crawford
The Women Veterans’ Enterprise Center will be a pilot initiative for a national model. Each center will provide services that include coworking space, enrichment activities, and opportunities for advancement and expansion.
According to a Veterans Administration blog, the Homeless Veteran Services of Dallas is the host organization providing access to the 2,700-square-foot facility.
The center will promote entrepreneurship and economic development that is focused on making more money, employment opportunities, and community connections among a wide range of female veteran business owners.
The property owners are remodeling the location to support the center, which includes coworking space for roughly 15 business owners, a conference center, and a café lounge.
The center is only a beginning, however.
“This is just the first of many Women Veterans’ Enterprise Centers projected for the Dallas-Fort Worth area and our nation, each with a commitment to help women veteran businesses scale for success,” Women Veterans’ Enterprise Center Director V.R. Small said.
The Women Veterans’ Enterprise Center will join a growing list of centers aimed at promoting entrepreneurship in South Dallas.
Earlier this year, city leaders and developers announced the Red Bird Entrepreneur Center just across from Red Bird mall.
A rendering of the coworking area of the new Women Veterans’ Enterprise Center.
The new center’s lounge area.
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