The kindness of American Legion donors

Dear American Legion Family and Friends,

I don’t often get surprised, especially when it comes to the generosity of American Legion Family members.

But when I read the report detailing the Giving Tuesday results of donations to The American Legion’s Veterans and Children Foundation, I experienced a mix of surprise, gratitude and pride. While I know how generous our members are, we have never before had such a successful Giving Tuesday campaign.

On Giving Tuesday, 396 donations worth a total of $22,620 were made to the Veterans and Children Foundation. Without donations like this, our ability to support our veterans in need and our military families in distress would be severely compromised.

These contributions go toward two specific areas of need. Some of the funding goes to assist military and veteran parents who are experiencing financial crises. For example, the funding would support a military family struggling to pay bills while a parent is on deployment.

Additionally, the funds go toward supporting the tireless work of American Legion service officers. These men and women provide free assistance to all veterans who need help in their attempts to receive the care, benefits and opportunities they earned through their service to the nation.

While the success of Giving Tuesday is wonderful news, the needs of veterans, servicemembers and their families continue 365 days a year. Our ability to fund these programs must all remain viable throughout the year.

As this season of giving continues, please consider a donation to The American Legion Veterans and Children Foundation. Donations may be made securely on the Legion's website. You may also download a printable form, fill it out and mail in your donation.

Thank you for your support of our nation’s veterans, servicemembers and their families yesterday, today and every day.