The VFW and its Foundation seek to return the favor! Thus we fill in governmental assistance gaps that are currently lacking or that do not exist for our service population: our troops abroad, deserving military families back home in the U.S. and America’s often forgotten veterans.
The VFW manages a wide variety of programs (most with a national geographic emphasis) at no cost and no VFW membership required to those we serve. It is important to note that we receive no government funding.
• Unmet Needs - Aids troops and their families with a one-time cash donation to be used for rent, mortgage, utilities, vehicle repair, medical expenses and food/basic assistance – over $3,000,000 awarded so far!
• Operation Uplink - Allows troops to call home via VOIP, Voice Over Internet Protocol, on holidays such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, etc.—a typical call day averages between 90,000-100,000 conversations with almost 20,000,000 minutes of talk-time in 2009. The VFW has also distributed over 10,000,000 long-distance telephone cards to troops and our wounded heroes recovering in U.S. military hospitals.
• Military Assistance - Provides morale boosting “welcome home” or “sendoff” events for military units.
• Veterans Service - Offers direct pro bono assistance by the VFW’s National Veterans Service (NVS) officers to help veterans in their often difficult entitlement claims with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). We actively pursue compensation for service-related injuries to veterans including PTSD. Of special interest is our pledge to meet with all recently discharged troops from Iraq and Afghanistan as they return home via group dispersals.