“We’re grounded. We have a place to be.” -Housed Navy Veteran Greg

Navy Veteran Greg and Tanya have lived in California, Idaho, and now Minnesota. Wherever they’ve been, they’ve created a community around them—and held onto each other through it all.

Greg, a proud Navy Veteran who served eight years, says, “I’m so thankful to walk away from the service healthy and alive.” However, after the military, and as he grew older, life became harder. “Health is relative to how old you are,” he reflects. “We were attacked by the systems.”

They faced housing and legal challenges that led to years of instability—living in transitional housing, in a mobile home, on the streets, and in shelters. Due to unfortunate circumstances, Greg and Tanya were previously denied assistance from MACV. “We used the shelters to get housing,” Tanya says. “It was so difficult to live in survival mode.”

Right before they were ready to leave Minnesota—facing the upcoming winter and running out of hope—they got a call. The case manager at the shelter where they were staying informed them that they could obtain housing through MACV. “We didn’t trust it at first,” Tanya admits. “We didn’t know how to handle it.”

Two weeks later, they moved into The Robin, a newly renovated and opened MACV apartment building in Robbinsdale.

“I love the fairness of being at MACV,” Greg says. “Minnesota takes care of its Veterans.” Tanya adds, “We’re grateful for the help. We’d never take advantage. It’s beyond what you can imagine.”

Moving into The Robin was more than finding housing—it was finding home. “Coming back to Minnesota has changed my life,” Greg says. “We’re grounded. We have a place to be.”

The kindness they’ve experienced from the local Robbinsdale community stands out: handmade cards, move-in kits, and thoughtful gifts. “It’s so nice,” says Tanya. “A new start. A lot of positive since moving in here.”

Now, they’re focused on rebuilding their health, stability, and sense of community. “We’re working on creating a community here,” says Tanya. “It could have gone another direction for us. We were surviving. Now we’re living.”

Greg’s advice for other Veterans: “It’s okay to ask for help. Don’t give up. We all deserve a place to call home.”