Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans

Mission: To provide assistance throughout Minnesota to positively motivated veterans and their families who are homeless or experiencing other life crises.

Core Values: MACV believes:

• In promoting the respect and dignity of veterans in need throughcaring and teamwork.
• That homelessness and prevention of homelessness are multi- dimensional circumstances requiring a multidisciplinary holistic approach for recovery.
• Sober living provides the context for action and foundation for multi-dimensional, holistic recovery.
• In valuing our history.
• Veterans, having honorably served our country, deserve all the support and resources the community can provide in dealing with critical issues when they need help.
• In being leaders, and requiring professional behavior and integrity from all staff and board members.
• Innovation, collaboration, and continuing education are essential in meeting these veterans’ needs – thus assuring our success.
• As stewards of community resources, MACV strives to avoid duplicating existing services and to ensure all funds are used as effectively as possible.
• No veteran in need will be turned away without doing everything feasible with available resources to get the assistance needed.

Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans

Vision 2014 – 2016

• Is recognized as a statewide leader in addressing homelessness and in homeless prevention among veterans through innovative programs, key partnerships, and effective advocacy. Through our collaborations and partnerships position Minnesota as a national leader, with the highest of standards in providing services to veterans.
• Provides a broad continuum of supportive and low-income housing options and innovative employment programs to promote financial independence of the veterans we serve. Assists, supports and inspires veterans experiencing homelessness in achieving and contributing toward their goals for housing and employment.
• Leads efforts to engage all sectors in advancing an advocacy agenda that promotes housing as a basic human right.
• Builds on its unique relationships with its key supporters to create a community engaged in ending and preventing homelessness.
• Develop and maintain consistent and sustainable funding through diversified sources to include recurring annual fundraising events.

Strategic Areas of Focus & Outcomes

Increase the Effectiveness of Advocacy & Collaboration with outreach efforts

Outcome One –MACV in partnership with other organizations bolsters advocacy efforts to prevent and end homelessness. MACV expands its ability to accomplish its mission by building the community’s capacity to end homelessness through sharing program approaches and exploring the feasibility of program replication.

Outcome Two – MACV in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs and the State Interagency Council on Ending Homelessness, will continually assess gaps in services surrounding homeless and in crisis veterans and their families statewide and will create specific targeted plans to meet those gaps addressing three main focus areas: housing, employment, and legal assistance.

Outcome Three –MACV in partnership with the military and the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs bolsters continued advocacy efforts to assist the reintegration efforts of OIF/OEF service personnel and to create innovative programs that address the unique needs of women veterans.

Expand Programs to increase our Statewide presence.

Outcome Four – In addition to our offices and programs in the Twin Cities, Duluth, and Mankato, we plan to continue to expand our outreach efforts statewide and focus on underserved areas of the state, with particular attention on rural communities. This outreach will include investigation of housing options in these communities as well as educating the local community on our prevention assistance in the areas of housing, employment, and legal services.

Outcome Five – Increase our housing effort statewide by investigating both additional emergency, transitional and permanent housing options in underserved areas. Two areas have been identified and are being pursued for transitional housing options, Mankato and NE Minneapolis. MACV will continue to consult with any community regarding their needs for additional housing beds that supports both homeless and low-income, affordable options.

Outcome Six – MACV expands employment programming by focusing on increased effort in Mankato.

Outcome Seven – Continue to build awareness of our mission and programs throughout the state and increase public recognition of our organization through effective use of media, speaking engagements and participation in community organizations.

Secure a Diversified Base of Funding.

Outcome Eight – MACV increases its visibility in the greater community and diversifies its funding base to secure adequate resources for its mission viability and organizational stability.

Outcome Nine – MACV establishes, as a priority, a one-year operating reserve in order to provide ongoing security and long-term organizational sustainability.

Align Organizational Systems and Structures to Support a Focus on Ending Homelessness.

Outcome Ten – MACV focuses its internal organizational systems, policies and operations to assure the most effective approaches to ending homelessness and moving people out of homelessness into appropriate housing.