COMMUNITY ACTION FOR VETERANS

Since 2015, CAV has been a driving force in fostering innovative and collaborative solutions to address the unique needs of the veteran community. Officially recognized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in June 2022, CAV also serves as a Community Veterans Engagement Board (CVEB), a community-based collective impact collaborative sponsored by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. All CAV initiatives are designed to establish community resources that better coordinate local support activities with programs, projects, and outreach events based on best practices through a health and wellness focus.

CAV EVENTS
• Operation Chow Line: Addresses food insecurity for military-connected individuals by providing free meals, a resource fair, and grocery gift cards. Goal: five events in 2025.

• Stand Up for Women Veterans: Strengthens the leadership and voices of women who have served through peer support and resource connections. Goal: two events in 2025.

• Bridging Strengths & Resources for Military Families and Veterans Summit: A two-day conference fostering military-culturally responsive practices among service providers and stakeholders, scheduled for September 24-25, 2025, in Sioux Falls.

CORE PROGRAMS

• CC AmeriCorps: This program provides social and emotional support to student veterans transitioning from military service to college life by connecting them to a new generation of social workers trained to deliver culturally responsive care. The program emphasizes the vital relationship between community and people and is built on three foundational pillars: transition assistance, suicide prevention through peer mentorship, and community engagement.

• WellBridge Military Family and Veteran Support Network (pilot): Powered by the NEXUS SD platform, this program enhances service delivery through coordinated care, resource navigation, and streamlined collaboration across healthcare and social services.