In the holiday spirit, a group of Ecumen volunteers helped out last week at The Anoka Veteran Housing Project, which is providing quality housing for homeless veterans by restoring three cottages at the Anoka State Hospital and turning them into veteran housing. (See the recent Star Tribune story.)

The men’s cottage recently opened, the women’s cottage is due to open in February, and the family cottage will open in the spring.

Members of the Home Office Operations Department and  Marketing and Business Development Department helped paint, clean windows and demolish walls on the women’s cottages this week.  The Philanthropy and Communications teams are planning a January volunteer outing, and Ecumen is donating a Home Depot gift card to help purchase building materials.

The project is being coordinated by Eagle’s Healing Nest, a non-profit dedicated to providing “assistance with the healing of the invisible wounds of war.” All labor and materials for the Anoka project are donated.

If you want to volunteer or donate visit the project webpage at Anoka Veteran Housing Project or Eagle’s Healing Nest.  Stay in touch by joining the group “Friends of Homeless Vets” on Facebook.