Honor HER Foundation: Meet Paulina Mendez

This week, I am featuring a non-profit organization right here in the Florida Panhandle: The Honor HER Foundation, which provides housing and support for single, displaced, and homeless women veterans as they build a foundation for the next chapter of their lives.

I had the honor to learn more about Paulina Mendez, the organization’s Vice President, and her journey, along with the outstanding mission of the Honor HER Foundation.

Meet Paulina Mendez

Paulina was born into challenging circumstances in Chicago, IL. She still remembers the day she walked into her recruiter’s office and learned about the Air Force and its mission. Before this chapter in Paulina’s life, the military was something she had only read about in history books. Searching for a way forward from the difficulties of her upbringing, she was welcomed with a sense of hope and possibility in a life of service.

On July 18th, 1996, Paulina began her time on active duty in the United States Air Force. “That day, I realized my name had been added to the pages of a proud and strong legacy of women who had gone before me and made it possible for others to follow.”

“This is a legacy that goes back to the earliest part of our nation, to women who chose to believe in something greater than themselves, in the higher calling of defending and protecting freedom. In this, I found and still find the courage and strength to continue serving with a commitment to walk alongside our brothers and sisters as they come home to a place of peace, to what life looks like after the military.”

Paulina believes diversity of background and experience is the true strength of the military community, and remains a constant in the ever-changing times to preserve the legacy part of the warrior ethos.

The History of the Honor HER Foundation

The Honor HER Foundation began in 2016, with the establishment of the foundation’s offices and the opening of the Faith House in 2019.

“Our mission is to provide a home for single, displaced, and homeless women veterans who need assistance in establishing a solid foundation for moving forward into the next chapter of their lives. We have the capacity to house up to 10 women for a period of 12 months. During that timeframe, we provide critical support in connecting resources and time that facilitate a personal, one-on-one relationship with our sisters, one that does not end with their time here with us but continues on and forward into a life of hope and possibilities.”

Paulina expresses her deep respect for the founder, Ms. Nancy Bullock-Prevot, United States Navy, retired, “who was, is, and will forever be the Chief Executive Officer and founder of the HER foundation.”

Ms. Bullock-Prevot, with the divinely inspired vision to give a voice to the past, present, and current issues that women veterans face, sought to establish a home and a haven where fellow sisters could come and find a community in which a sense of belonging could be found. She recognized the need for women veterans to be seen and heard and took action to ensure that this mission continues for past, present, and future generations through her legacy.

Since the foundation’s inception in the Florida Panhandle community, the organization has seen and heard many different life stories. Through these stories, they have found a few common threads: love for God, country, and one another.

“The work to uphold women veterans to be equally acknowledged and heard is a continuing issue.” Paulina goes on to say, “It was Nancy’s heartfelt conviction and promise that all would be seen and heard, and most of all welcomed into a community where all would know for themselves that they weren’t and still are not alone in the journey of life…We, as the board of directors, believe this to be so and demonstrate it in being the hands and feet that continue in this purpose.”

Beyond meeting these essentials, Honor HER is committed to leading with compassion, humility, and integrity—creating an environment where every woman veteran feels welcomed, valued, and empowered to embrace a higher purpose. The foundation addresses needs ranging from affordable housing and healthcare to education, employment, and mental health. After equipping the women with the tools needed to succeed in their next chapter, it leaves them with the knowledge that it does not end with their time there and will continue to help propel them into a life of hope and possibilities.

Paulina’s take on Resilience

“The key to resiliency is knowing that the grace of God finds you whenever and wherever you are with faith in the understanding that you don’t have to understand what is going on in the present moment; you have to hold on and have faith to know that you are not going through the circumstance alone.”

This truth became real after Paulina’s retirement from the Air Force in 2016, when the transition left her feeling unprepared and adrift. “I lost hope, but I found it again by being in the company of those who had gone through similar experiences.”

“In the moments when I was out of control, I was accepted and embraced regardless and just allowed to be me. That made all the difference and is the very reason why I have survived the experience to become a part of a team of similar minds who believe that knowing that you are not alone and knowing that a sense of belonging and community are the anchors that can be held onto to weather the storm, remain the critical part of the means for resiliency.”

How to Support the Honor HER Foundation

The doors of the Honor Her Foundation remain open due to the unwavering commitment of the community that uplifts them. Through monetary and time resources, they are so grateful to keep this foundation’s mission alive. The support gifted through donations, no matter how big or small, is always welcomed with open arms.

Each spring, the foundation hosts a Spring-Cleaning Event—a time of renewal where the community is invited to connect through fellowship and contribute to the mission.

“We plant the seeds of hope and care for those seeds with love, hope, and the time that is necessary to see them grow into a foundation that is deeply rooted in the personal empowerment of all who come through our doors to know for themselves that the future is whatever you choose it to be.”

And I’ll leave you with Paulina’s final words: “If there is anything that I would like people to know about the HER Foundation, it is that love is found here and it remains here for past, present, and future generations.”

That kind of love is more than a sentiment; it’s a commitment. It’s the driving force behind the foundation’s work in affordable housing, mental health, education, medical needs, and employment support. It’s also an invitation.

If Paulina’s story and the mission of Honor Her Foundation resonate with you, consider how you can be part of this legacy, whether through sharing their mission, volunteering, or supporting their programs.