Veterans, service members and their families often face unexpected challenges and the VFW Auxiliary is here to assist them in their time of need. Since its founding in 1914, the VFW Auxiliary has worked tirelessly to offer financial and moral support to those who need it most.
The Veterans & Family Support Program:
- Offers support for veterans, service members and their families. Our Veterans & Family Support Resource Card includes a list of 20 organizations and agencies that offer support to veterans, service members and their families.
- Promotes Veteran and Military Suicide Awareness and Prevention
Each day, an estimated 20 veterans commit suicide. You can help lower this number and make a difference in the life of a veteran or service member in crisis by educating yourself and others about the warning signs of suicide.- The Veteran & Military Suicide Awareness Blue Teardrop Sticker is the VFW Auxiliary’s symbol to give this issue the attention it so desperately needs. Wear the teardrop to open a conversation; when asked what the teardrop is, share that it’s to create awareness for veteran and military suicide.
- The Veterans Crisis Line connects veterans in crisis and their families and friends with qualified, caring Department of Veterans Affairs responders through a confidential toll-free hotline, online chat, or text. Veterans and their loved ones can call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, chat online, or send a text message to 838255 to receive confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Support for deaf and hard of hearing individuals is available.
- Promotes VFW’s National Veterans Service (NVS)
VFW’s National Veterans Service (NVS) helps veterans, service members and their families obtain the benefits they deserve – free of charge. NVS provides a nationwide network of more than 2,000 VA-accredited VFW Service Officers across America and abroad who help hundreds of thousands of veterans navigate the Veterans Affairs system each year. In 2018, VFW’s service officers recovered more than $8.3 billion (yes, billion!) in earned benefits and compensation for veterans and their dependents, which includes $1.4 billion in new claims. Service officers assist all veterans, whether they are VFW members or not, in filing claims for:- Disability compensation
- Rehabilitation and education programs, including GI Bill benefits
- Pension and death benefits
- Employment and training programs
- Promotes VFW’s Veterans & Military Support Programs
The VFW’s Veteran & Military Support Programs serve active-duty and recently discharged members of the military.- VFW’s “Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship” provides service members and veterans with scholarships of up to $5,000 to complete their educational goals without incurring excessive student load debt.
- Financial Assistance for Service Members is there to help America’s service members who have run into unexpected financial difficulties. The Program provides financial aid of up to $2,500 to assist with basic life needs in the form of a grant – not a loan – so no repayment is required. To further ease the burden, the creditor is paid directly.
- The Military Appreciation Program helps provide financial assistance to VFW Post and Auxiliaries to sponsor troop send-offs, homecomings and get-togethers. Posts and Auxiliaries participating in Adopt-A-Unit and Family Readiness Groups can also receive assistance.
