In 1923, Warren Harding was the U.S. President, the first baseball game was played at Yankee Stadium, and Time magazine published its inaugural issue. And on April 21, 1923, the Minnesota State Soldiers Assistance Program (SSAP) was established to serve Minnesota Veterans.

One hundred years later, Minnesota Veterans can still count on SSAP in times of need. Tens of thousands of former service members and their families have found help over the decades. The program was established in response to the needs of Veterans returning home from World War I. Early on, SSAP provided basic assistance with medical treatment and for the general maintenance of disabled Veterans.

Since then, SSAP has grown and evolved to meet the changing needs of Veterans. Today, SSAP continues to offer those services and more, including support with housing, financial assistance, education financial assistance, short-term disability, dental and optical assistance, and disaster relief.

A recent program change has been well received. The program’s income limits were increased in October 2022 to match 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. Before this change, the income limits required households to be deeper into poverty as their household size increased. Asset limits have also been increased.

In response to the changing needs of Veterans, the Special Needs Grant (now called the Veterans Relief Grant) was implemented in 2005. And the coronavirus pandemic resulted in the creation of the COVID-19 Disaster Relief Grants which provided $6.2 million to Minnesota Veterans in 2020 and 2021.

The Veterans Relief Grant was critical to Air Force Veteran and single dad Caleb W. When his furnace failed in February 2023 during one of the state’s snowiest winters on record Caleb knew he needed to act quickly. He called several repair companies and learned the repair cost would top $14,000. Caleb was eligible for the Veterans Relief Grant which covered the cost of his new furnace. The repair was made and he and his son had a warm house again.

The grant application process was “intense,” Caleb says, but worth the effort. “They came through for me and I got the boiler. I am so grateful. It was a huge thing for me.”

Learn more about the benefits available through the State Soldiers Assistance Program, from your County Veterans Service Officer, by calling 1-888-LinkVet or visiting MinnesotaVeteran.org/Benefits.