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Volunteer or donate

Minneapolis VA Health Care System depends on the goodwill of our benefactors and volunteers who wish to give something back to America's heroes.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about how you can help. To volunteer or make a donation to benefit Veterans, call the Center for Development and Civic Engagement (CDCE) office at .

Become a volunteer

Volunteer opportunities are available for adults and students who are at least 14 years old. Volunteers can work with patients or "behind the scenes" to help the VA run smoothly.

  • Visit Volunteer Match to view open volunteer opportunities within the Minneapolis VA Health Care System.
  • If you don't see an opportunity that interests you, check back or contact CDCE at  to discuss your interests. New volunteer positions open every day.

New volunteers are requested to serve four hours per week for a minimum of six months. All new volunteers are required to complete an application, allow us to run background checks and agree to be finger-printed.

When accepted as a new volunteer, CDCE staff will match you to an assignment and complete the volunteer training orientation with you. Staff in the assignment areas provide additional training and orientation as needed.

Make a donation

Donations from people like you help us provide more services to Veterans. You can donate online, by mail or in person.

Donation suggestions

Material donation suggestions for Minneapolis Veterans

Please contact CDCE at or vhaminvol@va.gov for our current needs list and to answer any questions. Due to infection precautions and storage capacity, there are items we are not currently accepting as donations.

Gift cards suggestions for Minneapolis Veterans

Gift cards in $25 denominations or more can be used by Veterans for a variety of needs. These are used when other fund sources are not available to a Veteran and there is an identified financial hardship impeding patient health care or access to care. Donated gift cards are in short supply and high demand, notably due to COVID-19 related financial issues.

  • Grocery gift cards 
  • $20-$25 gas/fuel cards
  • Visa or Mastercard gift cards
  • Metro Transit passes
  • $5-$10 fast food gift cards

Send a card, letter or greeting

Guidelines for cards, letters or greetings to Veterans

Cards, letters and special greetings are distributed to our Veteran patients by Volunteers or staff. General cards or letters (thank you for your service, thinking of you, thank you) are accepted any time of year.

All donated greetings are held for a minimum of 7 days after receipt before distribution to patients, for infection prevention precautions. Please consider this when sending greetings for specific holidays such as Veterans Day or Valentine’s Day.

All cards, letters, children’s artwork and other greetings are reviewed for content before delivery to Veteran patients.

Card and letter writing tips:

  • Fold a piece of paper in half and make your own card. We encourage schools, organizations, or groups and individuals to spend a few minutes making cards. Children’s artwork on cards is encouraged.
  • Use Thinking of You or holiday cards and write a note of encouragement.
  • Start the greeting with Dear Veteran or Dear Friend.
  • Be positive and upbeat, be thankful.
  • Sign with your first name only – no last names, for donor privacy.
  • Include your group or organization name, if applicable.
  • Do not put a date on them; they will be distributed throughout the year.
  • If mailing multiple greetings, we do not need the envelopes, only the cards.
  • Please note: greetings received with religious content are given to Chaplain Service for distribution.

For privacy and safety reasons, the following items are not allowed on cards or items to be distributed to Veteran patients:

  • No scented markers or perfume, no confetti or glitter.
  • No candy or other items inserted or taped in the cards.
  • No personal contact information such as last name, address, phone, email or website.
  • No photographs of people.

Cards can be mailed to:

Minneapolis VA Health Care System
Voluntary/Community Resource Service (135)
One Veterans Drive
Minneapolis, MN 55417

Questions?

Please call or email vhaminvol@va.gov

Thank you for your support of our Veterans!

Contact us

To schedule a time to drop off your donation or to volunteer, please contact the Center for Development and Civic Engagement at:

Minneapolis VA Medical Center
Center for Development and Civic Engagement
Room 4G-109

Phone: 612-467-2050
Email: VHAMINVOL@va.gov

Thank you for your support

The Internal Revenue Service has announced that under the Tax Code, donations to the Department of Veterans Affairs’ General Post Fund for exclusively public purposes are deductible from federal income taxes in the manner and to the extent allowable. This announcement reflects the tax law provision which makes those donations deductible as "donations to the United States."

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