American Legion planned giving program upgraded

The American Legion was built upon Four Pillars nearly 100 years ago that create opportunities for Legion members to improve the quality of lives for millions of veterans, servicemembers and their families through various charitable giving programs.

Together, the programs provide resources for wounded veterans, build character and develop leaders in youth, fund scholarships for the children of fallen servicemembers and disabled veterans, and more.

Now, The American Legion has made its planned giving program more convenient, efficient and meaningful to future generations than ever before. Those who wish to remember The American Legion in their estates, wills, life insurance policies or trusts are invited to visit www.legion.org/plannedgiving where tax-deductible Legion funds are described and their federal tax identification numbers provided, along with brief explanations of planned giving and its process.

Within the site, under the “Create Your Plan” button, donors can find handy calculators, videos, gift options, sample bequest language, donor stories and more. Web visitors can also go directly to the planned giving platform by clicking on http://legion.giftlegacy.com online.

One or more of the seven American Legion charitable funds can be named in an estate plan. These programs include:

• American Legion Charities – supports Legion youth programs such as Boys Nation, Legion Baseball and Oratorical Contest, and general charitable Legion programs.

• American Legion Endowment Fund – supports Temporary Financial Assistance program, which provides financial support to children of veterans in need, and Legion veterans service officer training program.

• American Legion Child Welfare Foundation – awards grants to nonprofit organizations that contribute to the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs of children.

• American Legion Scholarship Trust – awards scholarships to youth that attend either Boys or Girls State and are direct descendants of a wartime veteran.

• American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund – awards scholarships to children whose parents died on active duty since Sept. 11, 2001, or have a 50 percent or higher VA disability rating.

• Operation Comfort Warriors – provides comfort items to wounded, injured or ill servicemembers.

• National Emergency Fund – provides cash grants to Legion Family members and posts affected by a natural disaster.

Questions about American Legion planned giving – available for all income levels through multiple plans, no matter the commitment – may be directed to American Legion planned giving staff at 317-630-1229 or by email at plannedgiving@legion.org at National Headquarters.