Churches United works to house veterans, connect them with services

Nationwide, more than 19,000 veterans experienced homelessness in 2024; 213 of those veterans were in Minnesota, 44 in North Dakota

This Veterans Day, Churches United is grateful to the millions of service members across the country who have defended our freedoms and helped to keep us safe.

And while veterans have fought for our safety, thousands across the country are in a fight for their own safety. Some of those veterans needing help are our neighbors.

Churches United works to house veterans experiencing homelessness and connect them with important veterans’ programs and services. Right now, three veterans are sheltered at Micah’s Mission emergency shelter, which has four Veterans Affairs-designated beds. Eleven veterans currently reside at either Silver Linings or Bright Sky apartments.

When guests identifying as veterans check into Micah’s Mission, Churches United staff connect them with the VA and the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans. CU case managers work closely with VA outreach social workers who refer veterans to Churches United for shelter. While they are in shelter, CU works on getting them set up with benefits, getting their documents and getting them signed up for housing.

The VA, MACV and Churches United work closely with the veterans to coordinate the best services.

“Many of the veterans we meet fought for our country, and now they’re fighting to rebuild their lives. We stand beside them because no one who served should have to face homelessness alone,” says Harrison LaPorte Lewis, lead case manager at Micah’s Mission. “Every veteran has a story of courage, and every one deserves a safe place to continue writing it. Our mission is to honor their service by helping them rebuild by providing safe shelter, stable housing, nutritious food and a path towards healing. “

As of November 2025, there are 213 veterans experiencing homelessness in Minnesota, according to the state’s Homeless Veterans Registry Dashboard. Sixty-six of those veterans were experiencing unsheltered homelessness.

In west-central Minnesota, which includes Moorhead, there are an estimated four unhoused veterans.

Since 2015, the number of Minnesota veterans experiencing homelessness on any one day has decreased from more than 600 to around 200, according to the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs.

In North Dakota in 2024, the Department of Housing and Urban Development estimated approximately 44 homeless veterans were living in the state. Of those veterans, 25 were in an emergency shelter, 11 were in transitional housing and eight were unsheltered.

Nationwide, HUD estimates 32,882 veterans experienced homelessness in 2024. That’s a record low from when data first began being tracked in 2009.

Approximately 19,031 of those veterans experienced sheltered homelessness in 2024, a 5.2% decrease from 2023. Roughly 13,851 veterans experienced unsheltered homelessness, down 10.5% from 2023.