KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The VFW National Headquarters is pleased to announce it has now disbursed more than $100,000 in financial aid to military families victimized by the hundreds of deadly twisters that have swept across the nation so far this year.
VFW state departments spread word of the VFW Unmet Needs program in storm-stricken areas throughout tornado season, and applications for financial assistance poured in. The Unmet Needs program responded and was able to lessen the burden for many military families.
Tornado relief was given to families living on military bases across the nation that were damaged, including Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri, Camp Lejeune and Fort Bragg in North Carolina and Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas.
Military families living off-base also received help. Grants were administered to families in Alabama, Iowa, Kansas, North Carolina and Wisconsin.
Aid was also sent to Joplin, Mo. to assist Guard and Reserve families following the devastating EF-5 tornado that struck the town on May 22.
Created in 2004, the program was established to assist military service members and their families who face unexpected financial difficulties as a result of their service to our country. Due to the magnitude of the damage and the thousands of military families affected by the storms, Unmet Needs was able to help though the assistance was not needed as a direct result of their service to the country.
“VFW is here to help our service members and their families, and these storms have been devastating to so many of them. The Unmet Needs program is here to help them cope with the damage and the financial hardship they now face,” said Mike Penney, Director of VFW’s National Military Services.
VFW’s Unmet Needs program delivers the financial assistance is in the form of grants, so recipients never have to repay the money.
To learn how you can support VFW Unmet Needs, contact us at 816-968-2784.