Region Five Development Commission (R5DC) was awarded $92,500 from the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) through the (2018 Cycle II) Support Our Troops (SOT) license plate fund grant program. The MDVA SOT grant program offers a competitive grant process which allows organizations to apply for funding. These grants, ranging from $1,000 to $100,000, are focused on supporting and improving the lives of veterans and their families.
“Congratulations to our diverse group of grant recipients for their commitment to serving Minnesota Veterans in many different ways,” said Commissioner Larry Herke, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs. “I also thank those Minnesotans who purchase SOT license plates. Without support from the thousands who are ‘driving home their support’ every day, these grants would not be possible.”
R5DC will use the funds to support a program for 50 veterans residing in the counties of Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd or Wadena. Participating veterans will receive a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) food package twice per month, for one year at no cost. Cooking demonstrations and classes will be offered monthly by local food experts, chefs and nutrition educators. “We are grateful to MDVA, our partners and participants, and dedicated Veterans Services Officers who were instrumental in registering veterans for this program,” said R5DC Senior Regional Development Planner Staci Headley. “A special thank you to Happy Dancing Turtle, Sprout, and Sourcewell for providing pickup sites for this program.”
The goal of the VetCSA is to improve the overall quality of life for veterans and their families. This initiative delivers healthy foods and gives additional knowledge and skills on how to prepare them. Building a healthy lifestyle creates a positive effect on physical and mental health. The VetCSA brings veterans, families, growers and communities together, with food coming from Sprout MN and supporting regional growers and ranchers.
For details on MDVA’s Support Our Troops License Plate program found on the MDVA Website at the following link: https://mn.gov/mdva/resources/supporttroopslicenseplates.jsp
About Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA)
The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs is a cabinet level state agency dedicated to serving Minnesota Veterans and their families. In addition to overseeing the five State Veterans Homes, MDVA helps eligible Veterans and families secure state and federal benefits and provides programs and services relating to higher education, benefits, burial, claims, outreach and Veteran’s preference. For more information, visit MinnesotaVeteran.org or call 1-(888)-LinkVet