TFA Case Studies

Not being able to work due to an operation on his shoulder, a 20 percent disabled veteran and his two minor children were in financial difficulty. The mother of the children had abandoned the family, providing no support. While the family was receiving Food Stamps and assistance with their rent, they had fallen behind on the electric bill, and there was a good chance it would be cut-off. While a Service Officer was working to upgrade the veteran's disability claim, the Temporary Financial Assistance program stepped in and paid the electric bill, assuring the children would have a safe and warm home in which to live.

A Persian Gulf War veteran, with two minor children and a 17-year member of the Air Force National Guard, was discharged due to a disability he received while on active duty. When he was granted 50 percent disability VA benefits, he was informed he would have to repay thousands of dollars received as severance pay upon his discharge, reducing his monthly benefit to a paltry $182 a month. This amount, however, coupled with the minimum wages received by his wife, put the family $6 over the income limit to receive food stamps. In addition, the family had fallen behind in their rent. The Temporary Financial Assistance program provided rent money sufficient to ward off eviction as a service officer worked to increase the disability claim with the VA and assisted the veteran in filing for Social Security benefits.

Sometimes the Temporary Financial Assistance program simply provides dollars to help the parents with the general health and welfare of the children. Such was the case when a Coast Guard veteran was discharged with a very serious skin disease developed from exposure to chemicals used in his military trained maintenance position as an airplane mechanic. He was hired by civilian companies, because of his military training, but was again exposed to chemicals similar to those that caused the original problem. As a result, it was finally determined he would have to be retrained through the VA Vocational Rehabilitation program. The veteran's wife was a substitute teacher, and the income from this work was sporadic, at best, and the family was falling behind financially. Assistance was provided to give this family a hand up until the veteran was enrolled in the Vocational Rehabilitation program.

Both veterans, this couple with one minor child, were injured in an automobile accident. The veteran father lost his job as a result of his injuries. The veteran mother returned to work, but was then injured by one of her patients and placed on Workman's Compensation. As the family worked to overcome these difficulties, they fell behind on the electric bill, and the company was threatening to cut off their service. The Temporary Financial Assistance program paid the bill, and the family was able to get through a tough time without placing the child in jeopardy.

A veteran's wife was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and the early medical expenses were complicating the family's ability to maintain the basic needs of their two minor children. Efforts were underway in the community to assist the family locally, and applications for social services were being prepared, all of which would take some time to fall into place. In the meantime, the Temporary Financial Assistance program made the mortgage payments to prevent the family from losing their home.

One week after the birth of his fourth child, this unemployed Persian Gulf veteran, suffering from Persian Gulf Syndrome, was notified by his landlord that his family would have to move due to a real estate deal. With his wife not able to return to work and receiving only subsistence allowance from his union, the family was unable to come up with the finances for the first and last month's rent and security deposit necessary to move his family. The Temporary Financial Assistance program provided the needed funds to get the family settled in a new home. With the help of a Service Officer, his service-connected disability claim was appealed.

Legion Family Members helping Legion Family Members

Our Preamble to The American Legion Constitution says it best, "…devotion to mutual helpfulness." This phrase is more than just mere words on paper; it’s our pledge of support to our distressed comrades. Since the early 1920’s, The American Legion has been actively involved in meeting the needs of both the community and individual Legion family members in the wake of disaster.

Hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires…The American Legion National Emergency Fund was born out of natural disasters to compassionately heal the wounds of catastrophe and help save their homes. A major disaster could happen to any Legionnaire in any town at anytime and make them homeless.

The National Emergency Fund has provided over $6,000,000 in direct financial assistance to Legion family members and posts. The National Emergency Fund has kept posts from closing and enabled Legion family members to begin to rebuild their homes and their lives.

Eligibility Criteria:

1. Eligibility open to Legionnaires and Sons of The American Legion members (up to $1,500) Legion posts (up to $5,000).

2. Not meant to replace or repair items, only to meet most immediate needs (i.e., temporary housing, food, water, clothing, diapers, etc.)

3. Does not cover insurance compensation or monetary losses from a business, structures on your property (barns, tool sheds, etc.,) equipment or vehicles.

4. Membership must be active at time of disaster and the time of application

How To Apply

1. Application must be received within 90 days of disaster.

2. Disaster must be a “declared" natural disaster for Legion family members.

3. Supporting data (photos, repair estimates, etc.) should be included if at all possible or statements (testimony) from post/district/department officers attesting to damages.

4. Only one grant per household.

5. Post grants must derive from a declared natural disaster and substantiating documentation must provide that The American Legion Post will cease to perform the duties and activities in the community due to losses sustained.

Members must complete a National Emergency Fund Grant Application. Applications may be obtained by contacting your Department Headquarters or by calling The American Legion National Headquarters at (317) 630-1321. You can also download a grant application by clicking here.

Application is properly completed by applicant then sent to the department headquarters for approval.

If everything is in order, department will forward to National. Upon approval at the National level, a check will be sent to the Department Headquarters for delivery to the Legion Family member or Post in distress.

How You Can Help

We have an obligation to assist those less fortunate members when the need arises, and we do – through our donations to the National Emergency Fund. All contributions made to this fund are deposited in a special account and are used exclusively to meet our member’s most urgent needs. Not one single contribution dollar is used for fundraising, administrative costs or fulfillment.

The money in the fund comes by way of generous donations from Legionnaires, American Legion Auxiliary members and Sons of The American Legion members.

Application Form
Mail In Donation Form
 

Send your tax-Deductible Contributions To:

The American Legion
National Emergency Fund
P. O. BOX 6141
Indianapolis, Indiana 46206

Donate to the National Emergency Fund today!

 

As an unfortunate consequence of Operation Iraqi Freedom and America's war on terror, many children of our active-duty military personnel are now members of single-parent families. In most cases, this also means their chances to attend college have greatly diminished. Children of military personnel killed on active duty are entitled to receive money toward a college education. But it's not enough.

We are raising funds to ensure that higher education will be a reality for these families. Providing for the children our military personnel left behind is our civic duty. An education is a powerful way to show our thanks. That is why we have established the American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund. But we need your help.

A Critical Gap

The American Legion fights to see that our active-duty military personnel and their families are looked after. But despite our efforts, recent years have seen a significant shortfall in dollars allotted by our government. The educational benefit provided to surviving children is one of these critical gaps.

The total survivor benefit for these children is slightly more than $37,000 to be used for a college education. In today's dollars, this benefit will pay little more than half of what a college education costs in the most affordable situation. This gap widens when considering the cost of a college education in the future. The most conservative estimate is that costs will increase by 5 percent per year, meaning that in 16 years, the most affordable college education will be $105,800. Military compensation will not keep up with these dramatic increases.

Join Our Effort

Money provided by law simply has not kept up with what a higher education costs today, let alone what college will cost in years to come. Remember, these children are the direct descendants of people who died protecting our country. Their parents made the ultimate sacrifice. The least we can do is make sure they are provided for.

We need your help to make The American Legion American Legacy Scholarship a reality. Too many men and women in uniform have died in the fight to preserve our nation's freedoms. Together, we can make sure their children have the opportunity these parents were unable to provide. We encourage you to give generously to The American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund. Help us to bridge the gap and restore the faith of these special children.

Send your Tax-Deductible Contributions To:

The American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund
P.O. Box 1055
Indianapolis, IN 46206

Eligibility:

Child/Children, or legally adopted child/children, of active duty United States military and Guard, and Reserve personnel who were federalized and died on active duty on or after September 11, 2001. Must be a high school senior or high school graduate to apply for the scholarship. Scholarship is for undergraduate study at a U.S. school of higher education.

Aid Offered:

The amount and number of awards depends upon the income derived from the trust. Scholarship recipients may reapply for the award.

Application:

Click here to obtain an application.

Deadline:

Application must be post marked not later than April 15th. For information about additional American Legion scholarships and college financial aid click here.

 

Income from Endowment Fund investments are passed on to the Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation and Child Welfare programs of The American Legion national organization, and channeled through them to state and local programs.

The founders of The American Legion Endowment Fund Corporation envisioned a refuge that would stand as a fitting memorial to those who died to keep our country free. They wanted it to be truly immortal, outliving any one individual and even the Legion itself. Thanks to the hard work and generosity of Americans like you, their vision has become a reality.

With your help, we continue to pay our respects to the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice, by helping their comrades, by caring for and educating their children, and by maintaining the ideals for which they fought and died.

Click here to download the form, to be sent with your tax-deductible donation.

The American Legion Endowment Fund Corporation Corporation
c/o The American Legion National Headquarters
P.O. Box 1055
Indianapolis, IN 46206

You must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader to view, fill out, and print the membership application.

You may also wish to make arrangements to remember the Endowment Fund in your Will.

A History of Service

In 1925, World War I had been over for six years... but for veterans and their widows and children, the years had been a continuing struggle to adjust to the war's aftermath. The members of The American Legion, aware of the grave responsibility entrusted to them by those who had served, knew the time had come to take action.

More than 900,000 Legionnaires, Auxiliary members, and other American citizens joined the campaign, raising nearly $5 million and establishing The American Legion Endowment Fund Corporation.

Since those early days, over $22 million have been distributed to disabled veterans and orphans of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Famous Americans such as Presidents Herbert Hoover and Calvin Coolidge, William Randolph Hearst, and Gen. John J. Pershing have distinguished the Fund by serving on its Honorary Committee, but the Fund's real power comes from people like you.

ENDOWMENT FUND CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND MEMBERS

How the Endowment Fund Works

Without your gifts, donations, and memorial bequests, the Endowment Fund would not exist. Your contributions go into a trust that is administered by the Endowment Fund Corporation. The Corporation, whose members are selected by the National Executive Committee of The American Legion, takes great care to see that these gifts are wisely invested.

Income from fund investments is then passed on to the Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation and Child Welfare programs of The American Legion National Organization, and channeled through them to state and local programs.

Where Your Gift Goes

To see your Endowment Fund gift in action, just look around your community. Your contributions may help fellow veterans in the hospital or at home... give assistance in a claim before the VA... or monitor medical care. You'll also help us look for missing children... research causes, treatments and cures for diseases like leukemia, epilepsy and juvenile diabetes... give thousands of young people the opportunity for growth and friendship in the Boy Scouts... and so much more.

These are only a few of the programs the Endowment Fund helps support. Our reach is wide, but there are so many more to help, and the need continues to grow.

How the Endowment Fund Assists Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation

The American Legion Endowment Fund Corporation also provides funds to assist the Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Division with the following programs:

1. Provides funds for two annual Department Service Officer's Schools. Training is provided to these individuals to bring them up to date on the latest changes in Department of Veteran Affairs and the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims regulations, procedures and laws, respectively.

2. Provides funds for The American Legion and National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLP) Internship Program, which provides training to Legion staff assigned to the Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA) and to Department Service Officers on temporary assignment to the BVA.

3. Partially finances a Memorandum of Agreement with the National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP) for training of Legion Service Officers and legal representation before Federal Courts on veterans/claimants appeals considered to be of a precedential-setting nature. Finances NVLSP's consultation and advisory opinions to The American Legion on legislation pending before Congress involving Veteran Affairs Compensation and Pension programs and the benefits delivery system.