Making a Difference on a AUSA Foundation
The Fort Knox Chapter of AUSA in 2003 undertook a project in response to an offer from the Louisville based NBC Affiliate, WAVE 3 TV that if they provide money, could the chapter “help” local military families. I was serving as the President then, and as a retired CSM, wasn’t very quick with “no”. We said “yes”. They along with regional grocery chain, Kroger, gave us $123,000.
Fast forward to six years later and a national organization “USA Cares” who receives over 115 new cases every week from military families looking for a little assistance. Our focus remains now, as it did when we started, on our Post 9-11 Veterans and their families. We have provided through our Program assistance over $6 million in support, all in the form of advice, coordination and our grant program.
As we matured as a 501 (c) (3) organization, and we learned more and more about the needs of our military families we developed programs tailored to three distinct groups of needs. Quality of life, which is nothing fancy except keeping the utilities on, food on the table and other basic necessities of life. In our Housing program, we have kept over 500 families in their homes, both by stopping foreclosures or evictions, and along the way working with free credit counseling programs across America all to help maintain the dignity of service.
Our last focus is on our Combat Injured Program, where we extend out the eligibility timeline and we increase the amount of support we can provide, given the demonstrated need of those who call us. Most special among this group are those involved with our Warrior Treatment Today program. This program is designed primarily for those who are no longer on active duty, and have been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Syndrome Disorder (PTSD) and are recommended for residential treatment. We began to realize that many would not consider going to treatment centers for a one to four month in-patient treatment simply because they had to keep working to provide for their families.
Under the Warrior Treatment Today, VA evaluation clinics can refer Veterans to USA Cares for entrance into the program and when they go into treatment, USA Cares covers their families living expenses based on demonstrated need.
USA Cares has been fortunate to have received grants from the McCormick Foundation in Chicago and the Meadows Foundation in Texas, along with the support of Country Artist Mark Wills. Wills traveled to Iraq and Afghanistan several times, the last time being with SMA Preston in December of 2008 and after being told about USA Cares, offered his voice and support. He recently released an album entitled “2nd Time Around” of which some of the proceeds go to help our Warrior Treatment Today program. Wills has also inserted a call to action.
The CD is available at www.markwills.com. Wills know for his number one hit single “Don’t Laugh At Me” is included on the new cut, with the song being recorded in Balad Iraq with the troops cheering in the background.
What USA Cares has done would not have been possible without the support of thousands of donors, and organizations and public personalities like Mark, and of course, AUSA should be very proud of what they provided and that was the foundation and the spirit of continued service.
CSM (R) Roger Stradley
Radcliff Kentucky
