A homeless Marine Veteran who found himself sleeping outside is on his way home, thanks to the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans.
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More About: Justice-Involved Veterans |
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One area of expansion in MACV’s work to end Veteran homelessness focuses on specialized services for currently and formerly incarcerated Veterans. Justice Involved Veterans Coordinator Mikaela Hunley, M.A., works with staff at correctional facilities throughout the state to address the housing and stabilization needs of Veterans coming out of incarceration. She also collaborates with landlords, other community partners and MACV staff to meet the transitional needs of recently released former inmates struggling to reintegrate into society. Her focused expertise serving this subgroup of homeless Veterans closes an all-too-common gap in services which often lands Veterans in homelessness and then in the justice system.
Mikaela recently worked with a Veteran scheduled for release from Faribault Correctional Facility. The inmate qualified for 100% disabled Veteran status, entitling him to both financial and healthcare benefits from the VA, prior to his incarceration. Mikaela got the wheels in motion to activate these benefits upon his release, a process likely to take around two months to complete.
The case manager also engaged with the Veteran’s parole officer to learn about his conditions of release, which is often crucial in keeping Veterans out of the justice system once they’re on parole. “It helps [the Veteran] through this to ensure that he doesn’t violate parole and get sent back,” Mikaela explains. Lack of familiarity with the rules they need to follow upon release from incarceration often lead to recidivism for former inmates. Repeated offenses only worsen the cycle of instability, incarceration, and a resulting drain on community resources.
Restrictions on where recently released parolees can live often complicate the process to find housing, which was a reality for the Veteran Mikaela assisted. However, the incredible network of landlords with whom our team has cultivated relationships came to the rescue in this case. Mikaela not only secured a lease for the Veteran, but MACV also approved direct financial assistance to cover the client’s security deposit and rent for two months. The Veteran’s disability benefits should reinstate after this early period of resettling in the community and offer a stable source of income which can then easily cover his living expenses.
Hunley’s work also includes exploring benefits eligibility and ongoing contact with his parole officer to ensure compliance with his conditions of release. Internal collaborations with MACV provider staff help ensure the Veteran’s transition to a long-term housing case manager and development of a long-term service plan. Thanks to Mikaela’s diligence and our outstanding housing team, we know that this individual is in good hands and has a fighting chance to succeed in the outside world.
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Case Manager Spotlight: Kathy |
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The pressures associated with COVID-19 often add volatility to the living situations of Veterans who are currently housed. One such individual recently engaged with us, reporting that his current living situation is escalating and that he’s struggling with his mental health. Local case manager Kathy Kraft worked with the Veteran to identify communities which best fit his housing needs. She discussed the options she knew of in these areas with the Veteran and then enlisted the help of a fellow provider working at the Salvation Army’s local shelter to provide the Veteran with a temporary “landing place” while securing long-term housing. Remarkably, the Veteran moved into long-term housing at a property identified as a good match with his needs one day after arriving at the shelter.
Securing housing is only the first part of this Veteran’s story. MACV also assists Veterans to ensure their long-term housing stability. In this individual’s case, he lost his job in January and has since survived on subsistence allowance, a temporary benefit offered by the Veteran Benefits Administration. This benefit is set to end in coming months, sparking the need for the client to figure out how to secure income in order to remain stable. After working with the Veteran to determine whether employment or relying on financial assistance is a better avenue for this individual, Kathy is now helping him apply for long-term benefits. This includes coordinating with the local County Veterans Service Officer to explore eligibility for Veteran-targeted programs.
MACV providers frequently partner with County Veterans Service Officers (CVSOs) to benefit from their expertise and knowledge of resources available to the Veteran population in their community. “My CVSOs are all awesome and welcome the chance to work with us,” says Kathy. “They appreciate the constant feedback and communication. It works well out here as for partnerships.” MACV considers itself fortunate to have such strong partnerships both inside and outside Veteran-focused organizations. We cannot fulfill our mission to end Veteran homelessness without this important support.
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Eagle Group Virtual Job Meeting: Tuesdays (weekly), 5pm - Join Online
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A big THANK YOU to Joe Schwarzrock and his amazing volunteer crew at The Mission Continues (TMC) for completing a much needed deck rehab project at one of our transitional homes in Minneapolis last week.
TMC does such great work and we are very grateful for this awesome partnership, everything you do and have done in the past to ensure our transitional homes are being well taken care. It also means a great deal to our Veterans as well. We look forward to working with you on more projects coming up next month!
If you would like to find out more information about The Mission Continues and ways to help, please click here.
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MidCountry Bank has emerged as one of our most generous supporters in 2020, donating $100,000 to support MACV's statewide programs. We cannot overstate the gratitude we have for both the Bank's generosity and their faith in our organization. Thank you for your steadfast support! |
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MACV considers Lavender Magazine a close ally in the fight to acknowledge the contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals who served or supported members of the military. In a show of support for our mission, Lavender will launch a virtual silent auction in September with all proceeds directly benefiting MACV. Thank you, Lavender! |
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MACV recently enjoyed the donation of two staff appreciation boat cruises and lunch for our staff and community partners in recognition of the demanding, but rewarding work involved in ending Veteran homelessness. Local nonprofit Veterans 4 Veterans and the Tonka Bay Marina partnered to make these events happen, treating our staff and supporters to memorable experiences and the chance to connect outside e-mail and meetings. |
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American Legion - Post 39 North St. Paul |
Post 39 recently donated five move-in kits and have been putting these kits together for us over the years, along with other generous donations. These kits were donated in the nick of time as we had just run out of them and had a couple Veterans moving into our transitional homes who were in need. We truly appreciate the help and support they continue to provide us. Thank you, Jenny, and your amazing team of volunteers! |
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Thank You to Last Month's Donors |
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Annual Gifts over $50,000
Lennar Foundation
MidCountry Bank
Wells Fargo Foundation
Minnesota Masonic Charities
Otto Bremer Trust
Leonard J. Mikulay Foundation
Gifts over $5,000
Casey Albert T. O'Neil Foundation
Gifts over $1,000
Synchrony Foundation
Flag Wavers Hope
Ramsey County Bar Foundation
Kowalski's Markets
Ronald & Debra Schultz Household
Voltin Household
Kelly Schendzielos Household
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Gifts over $100
Mississippi River Flavor Company
Beisner Household
Tim Schultz Household
Collova Household
Bob Spehar Household
Lisa Sanford Household
Wayne Kaniewski Household
Laurence Brown Household
Cheryl Johnson Household
Lois Christian Household
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You Can Help End Veteran Homelessness |
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Our team is working hard to stabilize Veterans without a place to shelter during the COVID-19 pandemic and recent civil unrest. |
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