Did you know this happened during national convention?

Did you know this happened during national convention?

By The American Legion

During the 96th American Legion national convention in Charlotte, N.C.:

  • The American Legion’s Operation Comfort Warriors program purchased $10,000 worth of comfort items and gift cards for veterans at the Salisbury (N.C.) VA Medical Center. The items included clothing, toiletries, cleaning supplies, snacks, water and more. Also, $72,000 was donated to OCW during the convention.
  • More than 600 Veterans Personal Essential Kits were filled by American Legion family members during the convention and distributed to veterans at Community Link – a non-profit organization that has been assisting homeless veterans throughout North Carolina since 1929. Grant money from The Home Depot Foundation paid for the items, working with Good360, a nationwide non-profit organization that builds corporate relationships in order to raise funds and deliver goods to people in need. The American Legion Veterans Employment and Education Division helped connect the dots among the groups so the kits could be distributed.
  • The American Legion’s National Emergency Fund received more than $270,000 in donations on the convention floor, including $66,000 from the Department of New York; $50,000 from the Department of Ohio; and $40,000 from the Department of Pennsylvania. A donation of $10,000 was also given by Fifth Third Bank. The check was presented "to The American Legion in support of your many worthwhile endeavors on behalf of veterans and your families," said Carl S. Mills, vice president and senior relationships manager at Fifth Third Bank of Hamilton County in Indiana. For the year, more than $735,000 was raised for NEF – immediate Past National Commander Dan Dellinger's fundraising project.
  • The Home Depot Foundation, which has provided more than $81 million in grants for building projects that benefit veterans over the last three years, is dedicating $1 million for American Legion projects, working through Team Depot. Legionnaires are encouraged to contact their local Home Depot stores and ask for the Team Depot captains who can assist with grant applications. For more information, Legion members can also visit: www.homedepotfoundation.org/
Tags: Digital Dispatch