Guest columnist: LSS CORE provides support for veterans, families

By Adam Dorow

Military service can have a long-range impact on service members and their families. From managing financial concerns to maintaining healthy relationships or caring for loved ones with a disability — active service, deployment and returning to civilian life each have their own challenges.

The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs has a long-standing partnership with Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (LSS) to provide supportive services to veterans and their families through the CORE program.

LSS CORE (casework, outreach, referral and education) has successfully served thousands of veterans to help improve quality of life. CORE services include casework, caregiver support and respite, financial counseling, housing assistance, access to nutritious meals and mental health counseling.

Casework includes assessment of individual needs and personalized support. Individualized plans are created through a strengths-based lens.

In recent years, 100 percent of individuals using CORE services said they:

  • Were treated with respect.
  • Found the services helpful.
  • Would use CORE services again.
  • Would recommend CORE services to other veterans.

All CORE services are free and confidential for qualifying veterans and their immediate family members.

Adam Dorow

LSS is a PsychArmor Institute Certified Veteran Ready organization, which means we have been trained so that we can effectively engage with and support military service members, veterans and their families.

“Once I started using the LSS CORE services, I felt empowered to take charge of my treatments, to look into my disability benefits and to get myself on a path to recovery,” one veteran said. “I feel lucky I’ve been able to figure out where I want to be, thanks to LSS.”

CORE services include:

Caregiver Support & Respite

We offer classes, coaching, emergency care planning, resources, respite care, support groups, and workshops to help caregivers develop their caregiving skills and maintain a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

Housing Services

We work with veterans to secure housing and achieve their personal goals. We offer supportive housing in the Twin Cities metro area that includes a rent subsidy and case management services.

LSS Financial Counseling

We provide nonjudgmental, confidential support and guidance to help individuals and families achieve financial wellness. We offer financial counseling for budgeting, credit improvement, debt management (including Debt Management Plans), foreclosure prevention, homeownership, reverse mortgages, and student loan debt.

LSS Meals

We offer nutritious, homestyle meals through LSS Meals to Go — a convenient frozen meal shipment service. Our meals are designed by a registered dietitian to provide variety, balanced nutrition, and to meet dietary needs.

Mental Health Services

We provide support for improved quality of life, including assessment and evaluation, trauma therapy, deployment and reintegration support, and counseling for individuals, couples and families. We offer compassionate, effective counseling to deal with family relationships, grief, PTSD, substance use, military sexual trauma and more.

Let us know how we can support you: 844.577.2673. Visit lssmn.org/support4vets to learn more.

Thank you for your sacrifice.

Adam Dorow is the statewide program manager for LSS CORE Services for Veterans. His family has a strong history of military service, which inspired him in 2022 to step into supporting veterans after many years of working with youth in various nonprofit settings.