Midwest Veterans Closet seeks larger space to expand services

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BRANSON MISSOURI NEWS: Each month, Midwest Veterans Closet serves about 350 veterans at its North Chicago location, providing them free food, clothing and personal care items, home goods and furniture, Internet access and housing and job search assistance.According to the Veterans Assistance Commission, there are about 4,000 at-risk veterans in Lake County alone.“I can see that folks really want to help veterans, but sometimes they don’t know how,” said Mary Carmody, who founded Midwest Veterans Closet in July of 2014 to do just that.The nonprofit first operated out of a landscape trailer at the Freedom Farm for Vets in Wadsworth, a working farm where veterans and their families can grow and take home produce, interact with animals and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere.“We quickly filled up the trailer with donations but no one was coming because the location was too remote and not on public transportation,” Carmody said.The organization then began leasing space at 2323 Green Bay Rd., in North Chicago, which is close to public transportation and the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center.“We’re able to serve veterans from Lake County, Wisconsin and even Indiana,” Carmody said. “The community has been great. It’s wonderful, but …