DAV of MN Foundation……

December 2007                                                               

As the year 2007 ends and we enjoy the holiday season, it is every DAV members' duty to keep the memory of our wartime sacrifice alive in the hearts of the American people. It is a time where thousands of our DAV and DAVA volunteers spend countless hours ensuring our veterans, especially the disabled and hospitalized veterans and those in our nursing homes are cared for, visited and are thanked for their service and their personal sacrifices. This is a season of the year when visits, activities, companionship means so much to our hospitalized veterans, as well as those in nursing homes and those who are homeless   As part of this mission, the DAV of MN Foundation is providing funds to the Statewide MN veterans facilities (VAMC's, Veterans Homes, local nursing homes, local Chapters, etc), hosting events, ensuring that the residents there know we are very thankful for what they have contributed to the freedom of our Nation.   It is always an inspiration to see these veteran residents, most of them aged, to be so happy and thankful for the time spent with them, many of them extending their trembling hands and showing tears of gratitude as they sing the holiday songs, which is a common practice when we visit. We have also provided funds to those agencies serving the homeless and the needy veterans, asking that they serve these veterans in our name. The many volunteer programs we have across the State make a significant impact on the quality of life of our veterans and in many cases, their families. These are all possible because of generous DAV members who support our MN DAV Foundation. Let us give THANKS for another great year, and what better way is there to do this for our veterans than giving to the DAV/DAVA, so they can serve them in your name.

DAV of MN Foundation…… What is it? What does it do? The DAV of MN Foundation is involved in fundraising for MN DAV veterans programs and also provides grants to the Department of MN DAV and their Chapters and Units for state and local Veterans service programs.  The DAV of MN Foundation uses its funds three different ways:

Endowment – Funds that are endowed and only interest and dividends from this fund are used for programs… These funds ensure the life of the Foundation.  Recently the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee transferred $10,000 into the endowment fund.

Restricted Funds – Funds that when given, the donor designated the funds be used for a specific purpose so they are restricted in use and must be used as the donor designated.  Many donors prefer these funds because of their wish to give to certain programs.

Unrestricted Funds – Funds that when donated are not designated for any specific program or purpose other than veterans programs. It is important we have undesignated funds that allow the Board of Directors to route financial grants to Chapters/Units/Organizations requesting grants for specific projects/causes serving veterans outside of our specific funds scope.  Donors can also specify and designate new funds. 

We have many designated restricted funds established by donors to our Foundation.  They are:

MN DAV National Service Officers Fund - designated for outreach, education, office equipment and administrative help.

• North Dakota DAV National Service Officers Fund - designated to assist the office in Fargo, that supports Northern MN Veterans.
• Homeless/Needy Veteran Fund - designated to assist needy and homeless veterans with clothing or other emergency assistance required.
• DAV Transportation Fund - designated to help support the DAV transportation programs in St. Cloud and Minneapolis area. This program
• involves the vans and volunteer drivers who transport veterans to and from their medical appointments at the VA Medical Centers.
• DAV Department Office Fund - designated to assist the DAV Department office with education, office equipment and outreach.
• DAV Auxiliary Fund - designated to assist the Auxiliary Department with travel expenses, education and equipment.
• Minneapolis, St. Cloud or Fargo VAVS Fund - designated to help the Volunteer Services at the hospital with expenses incurred with the
• volunteer programs and provide finances for DAV programs targeting veterans at the VA.
• Minneapolis, Hastings, Fergus Falls, Silver Bay or Luverne Veterans Home Fund - designated to help each of the 5 MN Veterans' homes
• with their outreach programs i.e. the TV programming, closed circuit TV system, employee and volunteer recognition and entertainment for
• residents.
• Armed Forces Service Center (AFSC) Fund - designated to assist the AFSC with monthly expenses they incur with veterans and their
• families.
• Friends of the Minneapolis Veterans Homes Fund – This fund was established by the 934^th Air Lift Wing at the Minneapolis Airport (Air
• Force Reserve) to recognize staff at the Minneapolis Veterans home. They felt strongly that recognition of staff, especially those that go
• beyond the call of duty, was very important and ask that others join them in their effort.

As we end the year 2007, I would like all DAV Chapters, their Auxiliary Units and all the members of Minnesota DAV and DAVA to consider a donation to the DAV of MN Foundation. Your generosity is important to our programs. We would appreciate whatever donation you feel is appropriate.  If each of you (our statewide membership) would donate $10 it would add $200,000 to the Foundation…. $10 will go a long way in our efforts to build better lives for today's disabled veterans. 

Remember: "WE MAKE A LIVING BY WHAT WE GET... BUT WE MAKE A LIFE BY WHAT WE GIVE" It is important that the chapters, members of the DAV and DAVA and friends of the DAV support the DAV of MN Foundation so we can continue to provide the disabled veterans and/or their families a better quality of life…through our veterans service programs.

Please note on check which fund you would like your donation designated for (if you would like to designate).  All checks should be mailed to:          

• DAV MN Foundation
• State Vets Service Bldg, 3rd Floor
• St. Paul, MN  55155

Serving You and MN DAV;

Dean Ascheman                                    William Wroolie

Dean Ascheman, Executive Director         

William Wroolie, Commander

DAV of MN Foundation    
 DAV Department of Minnesota                                  

A SNAPSHOT OF OUR SERVICE TO MN VETERANS IN 2006-2007 

• The DAV transported over 32,000 individual rides to VA medical appointments, comprising of over 2 million miles traveled!!!
• Volunteer efforts by DAV chapters, county veteran service officers & other veteran organizations resulted in over 13,000 volunteer hours donated!
• DAV representation before the US Dept. of Veterans Affairs resulted in over $61 Million in benefits to MN Vets.  This achievement has a significant impact on the veteran and the state of MN economy.
• Over 2,500 MN Vets received new benefits.  Over 1,250 veterans had their claims maintained ($29 Million) and/or increased through our MN DAV Service Officers representation ($17 Million).
• MN DAV provided TV programming to over 400 TV's in the five MN Veterans Homes.  These TV's were donated by DAV in recent years and we continue to support with TV programming.  We also provide for the programming for all TV's at the Mpls VAMC thanks to Chapter 1 in Mpls.
• We have funded the establishment of several Hospice Rooms at the St. Cloud VA Medical Center, as well as providing the St. Cloud VAMC a new 2006 Ford Van for transporting veterans through our DAV transportation program.
   
•    DAV spent over $50,000 assisting in the funding of statewide DAV chapter programs serving disabled veterans and their families.