ARMing Heroes Awards Emergency Grants to Struggling Military Families

ARMing Heroes (www.armingheroes.org), the collection industry’s charity for military veterans, not only provides much-needed financial assistance through its No Debts for Vets grant-making program, but also offers an emergency grant program specifically geared to military vets and families who demonstrate urgent need for help with the most basic of necessities such as food, housing, and utilities.  Today, the charity shared the stories of three military veterans and their families whose dire circumstances warranted an emergency grant over the last few months through this program:

• Adam Lewis: A U.S. Army combat veteran of Afghanistan and Bronze Star recipient, Adam was struggling to support his wife and three children. Despite his employment, Mr. Lewis was still unable to make ends meet, and was facing several utility shut-offs as well as possible home foreclosure.   He was awarded a grant to help in these areas.
• Thomas Hollis: A Desert Storm veteran with seven years of service, a wife, and two children, his emergency grant prevented gas and electric service disconnects and helped bring his mortgage current.
• Daniel Gray: Medically-retired from the U.S. Marine Corps after serving in both Iraq and Afghanistan, Mr. Gray received a grant to help with unexpected vehicle repairs and transportation expenses related to moving his family across the country.

For these military heroes, receiving an emergency grant improved their lives and allowed them to look ahead to a brighter future. Upon hearing the news of his grant award, Adam Lewis shared his gratitude:

“Thank you ARMing Heroes for the quick help when it was very much needed. Without your organization I have no idea how we would have kept our lights on this month. Thank you beyond words, you have given my family hope when there was very little to be found.”

Daniel Gray also expressed his sincere appreciation:

“Thanks to the support from ARMing Heroes, my family and newborn son will be arriving home late this evening and we’ll finally be in our home together again.  I am truly at a loss of words to describe my gratitude towards everyone at the ARMing Heroes organization.  My family is forever in your debt.”

ARMing Heroes offers two grant programs to assist veterans and their families overcome financial struggles associated with returning to civilian life. The emergency grant program is available for qualified applicants to help with the most basic of needs. To be eligible to apply, the veteran may not be on active duty, must have served for at least 90 continuous days of active duty, and must have been discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable. The veteran must also meet any two (2) of the following criteria: 1). Has a disability rating from the Veterans Administration; 2). Served outside the U.S.; 3). Served in an Imminent Danger Pay Area; 4). Is unemployed; or 5). Served for more than ten (10) years.  The applicant must then also demonstrate unemployment, child dependent(s), negative cash flow, and responsible credit card usage to be considered for an emergency grant.  Finally, the applicant must indicate a need related to one or more of the following basic needs: food, housing, utilities, transportation, or some other immediate, basic need as deemed appropriate by the organization.

The No Debts for Vets grant-making program awards larger grants annually to provide debt reduction for qualified veterans, including (in some cases) their spouse and children, with particular emphasis on meeting a financial need many other sources of assistance will not cover. Grants from this program typically range from a few hundred dollars up to several thousand dollars, and are paid directly to a creditor or creditors on behalf of the grant recipient at the end of each calendar year.

ARMing Heroes is currently accepting applications for both aforementioned grant programs. The charity’s flagship 2014 No Debts for Vets Charity Fundraising Drive officially kicks-off next month and runs from September 11^th through Veterans Day, November 11^th every year, however tax-deductible donations are accepted at any time online at www.armingheroes.org and via mail to PO Box 353, Collingswood, NJ 08108, payable to ARMing Heroes. Pledges may be made to info@armingheroes.org.  Any amounts pledged or donated now will be applied to the 2014 drive.

About ARMing Heroes

ARMing Heroes was founded and began operating in March, 2009.  The organization’s mission is to serve the needs of U.S. military veterans, including their spouse and children. ARMing Heroes fills a charitable niche by linking people identified with employment, credit, and financial counseling needs with the accounts receivable management industry, an industry uniquely poised to help in these areas.  Persons interested in volunteering their time and others interested in applying for benefits or pledging other forms of support are encouraged to contact the organization at www.armingheroes.org.

What Can I Do Right Now to Help?

• Visit www.armingheroes.org and donate now.
• Friend us and post this article to your page on Facebook.
• Tweet about this article on Twitter.
• Join our group on LinkedIn, the ARMing Heroes Veterans Charity Supporter / Assistance Center.
• Comment on this article online and ask us to contact you.
• Forward this article via email to your key contacts.
• Print this article and fax it to your local congressional office and ask them to post our website on theirs as a resource for vets.