Veterans & Family Support: VFW’s Unmet Needs Helps During Hardship

VFW’s Unmet Needs Helps During Hardship

The VFW’s Unmet Needs program helps America’s military families who have run into unexpected financial struggles because of deployment or other military-related activity or injury. The program provides financial aid grants of up to $1,500 to aid with basic life needs in the form of a grant, so no repayment is needed. To further help the veteran, the VFW Unmet Needs pays the creditor directly.

The Unmet Needs program is accessible for the service member, veteran, or eligible dependent listed under the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS).

HARDSHIPS MUST BE DUE TO ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

• Currently on active duty, whose financial hardship is a result of a current deployment, military pay error, or from being discharged for medical reasons.
• Discharged on or after September 11, 2001, whose financial hardship is a direct result of military service connected injuries and/or illness.
• Discharged prior to September 11, 2001, are on a fixed income that must include VA compensation for a service connected injury/illness and facing an unexpected financial hardship.

FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS CANNOT BE CAUSED BY:

• Civil, legal, or domestic issues, misconduct, or any issues that are a result of spousal separation or divorce.
• Financial mismanagement by self or others, or due to bankruptcy.
• All grants are paid directly to the creditor and not to the applicant. The applicant must supply the most current bills due. The VFW will make payment for eligible current bills only.

EXPENSES ELIGIBLE FOR PAYMENT:

• Household expenses – mortgage, rent, repairs, insurance
• Vehicle expenses – payments, insurance, repairs (major repairs for vehicles over ten years old will not be considered.)
• Utilities
• Food and clothing, children’s diapers, formula, school, or childcare expenses
• Medical bills, prescriptions & eyeglasses – the patient’s part for the necessary or emergency medical care only.

ELIGIBLE EXPENSES LISTS ARE NOT ALL INCLUSIVE.

INELIGABLE EXPENSES:

• Credit cards, military charge cards or retail store cards
• Cable, internet, or secondary phones
• Cosmetic or investigational medical procedures & expenses
• Taxes – property or otherwise
• Furniture, electronic equipment, or vehicle rentals
• Any other expenses not determined to be a basic life need.

INELIGIBLE EXPENSES LISTS ARE NOT ALL INCLUSIVE.

Each case will be carefully reviewed for its own merits. Upon approval, payments will be made directly to the creditor. All applications are individually reviewed, and the VFW reserves the right to make exceptions on a case-by-case basis.

The needs of our veterans, service members and their families should never go unmet.

For additional information, and to see if you or someone you know qualifies for a grant through the Unmet Needs Program, please review the Unmet Needs Eligibility Criteria. The online Unmet Needs application is available on the National VFW website.