The new Bemidji Veterans Home, located at 920 Anne Street Northwest, is still undergoing construction, but the Beltrami County Veterans Service Office is urging possible applicants to start applying soon.

Currently, efforts are being made to get residents in through the application process, which will begin on Thursday, September 15th at 8 a.m. The application process is being handled by the Veterans Service Office, and to them, the need for this housing is clear.

“We have nearly 19,000 veterans in the northwest sector of Minnesota, and the closest veterans home would’ve been in the Fergus Falls region,” said Veterans Service Officer Shane Gustafson, “This veterans home to our community means a lot because now veterans can stay relatively close to this region of the state.”

Helping veterans transition to a new chapter of life is certainly nothing to sneeze at, and it all comes from a place of brotherhood and understanding.

“This project is also important to me because I get to work with my heroes,” explained Gustafson, “To be able to help them and assist them, and their family members to get into the veterans home or to file a veterans claim, it’s very important, very rewarding.”

By ensuring that the application process is complete, the Veterans Service Office is making it so that the Bemidji Veterans Home can serve those who served us.

Construction for the new home is set to be completed in the summer of 2023. Rooms at the veterans home are on a first-come-first-serve basis, so if you or a loved one are interested in residency in the new veterans home, you can email them at NewHomesAdmissions@state.mn.us.

By — Justin Othoudt