A grant that helps veterans find their way back

November 12, 2025

By La Crosse Community Foundation

Foundation support strengthens outreach for the La Crosse Area Veterans Mentor Program

A recent microgrant from La Crosse Area Community Foundation is helping the La Crosse Area Veterans Mentor Program reach more veterans in need — and the families who love them.

With foundation support, the organization is upgrading its website, software, and training tools to expand community awareness and connect more veterans to mentors who understand what they’re going through.

“We’ve always had problems getting veterans to come in and meet with our program,” said Judge Todd Bjerke (Ret.), the program’s founder and board president. “A lot of them don’t access the VA or the County Veterans Service Officer. They have this stigma of mental illness and don’t want people to think they’re dealing with mental health issues. Our goal is to make others aware, so a spouse or family member can say, ‘I think my veteran needs help,’ and connect them to us.”

Why veterans need mentors

Bjerke knows what’s at stake. As a veteran of both the Marine Corps and Army Reserve — and a former La Crosse County Circuit Court judge — he’s seen how trauma can follow service members home. “PTSD isn’t something you can see like a broken arm,” he said. “It actually changes the brain. Veterans have to learn ways to deal with it every day.”

That’s why the Veterans Mentor Program exists. Since its founding in 2009, it has paired veterans facing challenges — from post-traumatic stress to addiction to legal trouble — with trained volunteer mentors who are veterans themselves. The goal is connection, understanding, and accountability.

“The mentor is there to support the veteran, listen to them, and help guide them as they’re making their own decisions,” Bjerke said. “It’s a really good relationship for them to have — just like when they had a battle buddy.”

The results are profound. Bjerke recalled one veteran whose life had spiraled into domestic disputes and repeated arrests before being referred to the program. With help from a mentor, he entered treatment, addressed his PTSD, and gradually rebuilt his life. “He ended up graduating our program,” Bjerke said. “He reunited with his kids, who had estranged him because of his problems. And he was very successful.”

Changing lives and strengthening community

Stories like his are what drive the organization’s mission — and its need for continued growth. “By doing this outreach, we can hopefully find additional volunteers that we can train,” Bjerke said. “And by doing the outreach so people become more aware of the program, hopefully we can do more to sustain the program.”

Mentors aren’t paid; they give their time because they understand. They’ve served. They’ve struggled. And they know what it takes to heal.

For Bjerke, the foundation’s grant represents encouragement in addition to funding. “It helps us do things we wouldn’t otherwise be able to do because of the lack of funds,” he said. “It really will help us provide the services to the veterans.”

Because of donors to La Crosse Area Community Foundation, that help now reaches further — giving veterans the support of a mentor, the strength of community, and the hope of homecoming.

To volunteer or donate to the La Crosse Area Veterans Mentor Program, visit lavmp.org.