Teamwork makes the dream work. So says Jon Lovald, Chief Operating Officer of MACV. “Our mission is ending Veteran Homelessness. Our direct effort is to connect Veterans to stable housing,” he said. “Functional Zero is absolutely possible. Minnesota is the fourth state postured to declare an end to Veteran homelessness.”

In a series of interviews at the December 15 Home for the Holidays Veteran Event at Target Field, WCCO CBS Channel 4 invited partners in our mission to end Veteran homelessness in Minnesota to share their insight and contributions to the enormous goal.

In another interview with a Marine Corps Veteran named Eric, we learned of his journey and how he came to volunteer at Home for the Holidays. “If I can help someone struggle even an ounce less than I did, that’s a win.”

The transition from military service to civilian life too often comes with difficulty and hardship. Evolving the effort to end homelessness for Veterans includes developing and strengthening expected and unorthodox partnerships with both  businesses and service providers. MACV recently has written about our work with Lennar, Minneapolis Association of Realtors, Housing First MN Foundation, and many other organizations committed to our mission.

A third interview with Jacob Bolinger, Co-Founder & CEO of West Edge Investments, showcases another partner which has joined the fray. A Veteran-owned company, West Edge has partnered with MACV to provide housing to homeless Veterans by committing part of their portfolio to the effort. When asked how it feels to help, Jacob said, “This is the cause we knew we had to support. It’s something our team is all part of.”