Our Founder’s Story

Her Story – So Far

Donna “Red” Richardson has dedicated more than 20 years to advocating for veterans and their families. Her commitment is rooted in both personal experience and a lifetime surrounded by military service.

Donna comes from a family with a long and proud tradition of serving our nation. She is aware that her family’s lineage of military service dates back to the Civil War, a legacy that has instilled in her a profound respect for those who have answered the call to serve. She is the granddaughter of a Pearl Harbor survivor, the daughter of a U.S. Army soldier, the mother of a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and Purple Heart recipient, and the aunt of veterans, including one niece who served as a military sniper, along with several nephews who have worn the uniform. She is also the great-aunt, niece, and Godmother of veterans. This rich military heritage has shaped her understanding of the sacrifices made by service members and their families across generations.

Her passion for helping veterans became deeply personal through her husband, a Desert Storm veteran. Together, Donna and her husband spent 17 years fighting his VA disability claim. Throughout that journey, she learned firsthand how difficult and overwhelming the VA system can be. She immersed herself in understanding the claims process, available resources, community partnerships, and the many challenges veterans face. Those years taught her not only the complexities of the system but also the value of persistence, advocacy, and never giving up on those who served.

In 2015, Donna graduated from Texas A&M University–Commerce with a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) in Business Management. Determined to use her education to serve others, she joined a veterans nonprofit organization in 2016, where she expanded her knowledge of veteran services, nonprofit leadership, and community outreach. Following the passing of the organization’s founder, Donna established her own business while continuing to strengthen partnerships and develop resources that would benefit veterans and their families.

Donna has spent years working in the trenches alongside veterans, witnessing the obstacles they face, including homelessness, transportation barriers, food insecurity, financial hardship, mental health struggles, and navigating complex benefit systems. Rather than accepting these challenges as unavoidable, she chose to become part of the solution.

Drawing upon two decades of advocacy, her education, professional experience, and the lessons learned throughout her husband’s 17-year VA battle, Donna and her husband, Tom, founded Lake Whitney Veterans Center of Resources. Their vision was to create a central location where veterans and their families could access resources, receive guidance, build lasting community connections, and regain hope during difficult times.

As Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Donna leads with compassion, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to ensuring no veteran is left to fight alone. She believes that while veterans defended our freedoms, it is now our responsibility to stand beside them. Through collaboration, education, advocacy, and community partnerships, she continues to lead the organization’s mission of preventing veteran homelessness, reducing veteran suicide, and ensuring every veteran has access to the resources, respect, and support they have earned.