Your donations help needy children, service officers

American Legion service officers today are helping more than 700,000 veterans and their families, free of charge, file disability claims, benefits applications and other forms of assistance. Meanwhile, military and veteran families with minor children at home, when struck with unexpected costs that leave them unable to pay for basic household needs, receive more than $500,000 in emergency funding a year from The American Legion’s Temporary Financial Assistance (TFA) program.

Both programs depend on charitable contributions to offer the free assistance. That’s why I have made service officer training and TFA the focus of my fundraising project this year.

To make a tax-deductible contribution to help me reach my goal of $1 million for service officer training and $1 million for TFA before the 99th American Legion National Convention in Reno in August, checks can be made payable to American Legion Charities (write “Commander’s Charity Fund” on the memo line) and mailed to: The American Legion National Headquarters, 5745 Lee Road, Indianapolis, IN 46216.

Safe and convenient online giving is also available for those who would like to help me reach this goal of assisting needy children and service officers. To make an online donation, visit  www.legion.org/donate and send your gift using a credit or debit card. Those who would like to make a contribution by phone can call  (800) 433-3318.

One-hundred percent of all gifts to the Commander’s Charity Fund goes directly to help service officers and needy families.

Please help me to continue meeting the needs of our veterans, their families and children in need.