Where do I donate in Rochester to benefit disabled veterans?
Mar. 18—Dear Answer Man: I see those green donation boxes around town saying you are donating to the Disabled American Veterans of Minnesota, but Savers also says that donations made there benefit veterans. Am I really just donating to Savers if I put something in those boxes. I looked at Savers website and they pay almost nothing for clothing donations to the DAV so is it really helping veterans? — Don't Know Where to Donate.
Dear Don't Know,
First of all, thanks for donating to whatever worthy cause you find. After doing a little digging among the folks at Disabled American Veterans of Minnesota, I'll give you this answer to start: Here's a worthy program that benefits those who have served this country.
Now, on to the green bins, Savers and more.
Stephen O'Connor, adjutant for DAV MN's Mayo-Hiawatha chapter in Rochester, said all clothing items dropped off at the green bins — there are 19 located throughout the city — benefit DAV MN. DAV MN sells the clothing, which can include clothes, shoes, belts and bag, as well as books to Savers at a price per pound.
Savers then retails those items and uses the proceeds to cover its costs and its charitable donations to various programs around the region.
However, if you donate directly to Savers, that does not benefit DAV MN, O'Connor said. Of course, keeping Savers going helps out DAV, so shopping there is a good choice.
Currently, DAV MN's Mayo-Hiawatha chapter does not accept donations for non-clothing or book items, O'Connor said. So, that old bed or dresser won't benefit DAV MN here. Other chapters have different rules for accepting such items. For example, in the Twin Cities metro area, pickups for furniture or household items can be scheduled.
So, what does DAV do with the money it makes from these donations?
Josh Vrtacnik, deputy department adjutant and director of operations for DAV MN, said the organization works in a multitude of ways to help veterans. One of the bigger programs is the transportation program that — at no cost to the veteran — provides rides to medical appointments. With a limited number of VA clinics in the state, getting veterans to medical appointments is vital to their health and quality of life, Vrtacnik said.
"Our transportation service has 37 or 38 vehicles we have purchased," Vrtacnik said. "The volunteers drive the cars to get them to medical appointments. The number of vehicles has grown from eight about 12 years ago to the 38 we have today."
Vrtacnik said before the pandemic, the transportation program logged about 1.2 million miles a year in Minnesota. With the pandemic-aided development of telehealth options, the number of miles has gone down, but is still significant. After all, there are 87 counties and Minnesota is fairly vast.
The organization also hosts several outdoor activities for veterans throughout the year. There's a legislative lobbying effort to advocate for veterans at legislatures at the state and federal level. And DAV MN has hired several professionals to help veterans navigate the claims and benefits services so veterans can enjoy the VA benefits they have earned.
"About 70-75% of our revenue comes from donation programs in the Metro and out-state," Vrtacnik said. "We take zero federal grant money. We're a nonpartisan outfit, so we have to be careful about how we engage with the government, especially at the federal level."
As a national organization, DAV has been around since 1920. The 100-year anniversary for the Minnesota chapter comes in 2025, Vrtacnik said.
While the organization has a broad reach, it couldn't do what it does for veterans a) without those donations and b) without a multitude of volunteers. So, Don't Know, if you really want to help veterans — and this goes for the rest of you Answer Man fans as well — consider volunteering. You can email davsemn28@gmail.com to find out more about volunteering, whether its being a transportation driver or helping out at a DAV outdoor event.
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