VETERANS AND FAMILY SUPPORT

Program Chairman: Bettina Lane 285 Deerfield Pl Mineral, VA 23117-4758, 540-287-1454, Presidentauxvfwpost8947@gmail.com  

Program Goals:  VFW National Veterans Service• VFW Veterans & Military Support Programs Assist Veterans, Service Members, and their Families. Promote Veteran & Military Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Awareness

SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT NATIONAL VETERANS SERVICE (NVS): The VFW's National Veterans Service (NVS) helps veterans, service members and their families obtain the benefits they deserve - at no cost. NVS provides a nationwide network of nearly 300 VFW Service Officers who help veterans navigate the Veterans Affairs system. Those VFW Service Officers recover more than $1 billion annually in VA benefits for veterans and their dependents. These highly skilled professionals assist all veterans, whether they are VFW members or not in filing claims for:
  • Disability compensation.
  • Rehabilitation and educational programs.
  • Pension and death benefits.
  • Employment and training programs
NVS also works to ensure veterans receive quality, timely and accessible VA health care, including:
  • Hospital care.
  • Outpatient care.
  • Specialized health care for female veterans.
  • Alcohol and drug dependency treatment.
  • Medical evaluation for disorders associated with military service, exposure to Agent Orange, radiation or other environmental hazards. Donations to NVS can be made online or by mail. Donate online at vfw.org/ways-to-help, select National Veterans Service, click "Contribute". Donate by mail by sending funds to the VFW earmarked for NVS. Mail check to: VFW National Headquarters Attn: NVS, 406 W. 34th Street, 11th Floor Kansas City, MO 64111. Make sure you report to me that you donated and let our Department Treasurer know so she will give you credit on the Membership & Financial Tracker. 
VFW Veterans & Military Support Program contains programs initiated by the VFW: Military Assistance Program (MAP), Unmet Needs and the VFW "Sport Clips® Help A Hero Scholarship: These programs serve active duty and recently discharged military. Donations to Veterans & Military Support can be made online or by mail. Donate online at vfw.org/ways-to-help, select Veterans & Military Support, click "Contribute". Donate by mail by sending funds to the VFW earmarked for Veterans & Military Support. Mail check to: : VFW National Headquarters Attn: NVS, 406 W. 34th Street, 11th Floor Kansas City, MO 64111 
 
MILITARY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (MAP) FUNDS WAYS to CONNECT WITH TROOPS: MAP helps VFW and Auxiliary members give more to their local military units. It helps forge and nurture bonds with those units by providing financial assistance for Posts, Districts and Departments to sponsor morale-boosting send-offs, homecomings, and casual get-togethers. Posts and Auxiliaries participating in Adopt-a- Unit and Family Readiness Group events can also receive assistance. MAP keeps care packages circulating by covering postage costs. For guidelines to apply for MAP funds, contact the VFW Veterans & Military Support office at 816-756-3390.  
  

National Awards for Auxiliaries

1. Most outstanding activity and/or event to increase awareness of suicide and mental health for veterans, military and their families.

  • Citation and $25 to one VFW Auxiliary in each of the 10 Program Divisions that hosts the most outstanding activity and/or event to increase awareness of suicide and mental health for veterans, military and their families. Entry form required and available in MALTA Member Resources (Link Here). VFW Auxiliaries must send the required entry form to their Department Veterans & Family Support Chairman by March 31, 2025 for judging. 

Citations will be mailed directly to the winning VFW Auxiliaries from National Headquarters and money will be deposited into the winning VFW Auxiliary account after the 2025 VFW Auxiliary National Convention.