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Veteran's Family Fund of America

Emergency assistance to veterans near JBLM

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"We work to help the veterans who fall between the cracks of other veteran service and military organizations," said Perry White, who has been on the Veteran's Family Fund of America board since 2009 and currently serves as its president.

The VFFA's core mission is to provide emergency assistance to the veterans residing near Joint Base Lewis-McChord in both Pierce and Thurston counties.

"Our name makes us seem a little bigger than we are. ... We actually only work in this area," White stated. "However, it means that we can always grow."

While the VFFA typically only offers one-time help to these individuals and families, the reasons for financial assistance vary greatly. For instance, the VFFA has helped to pay for overdue rents, moving expenses and even funeral services. They also work with the recipients to ensure that they find continued assistance, if required, and direct them to other resources that exist within the community.

"Young people in the area, these servicemembers and military families who have given so much, are often faced with stressful situations and they need help," White said. "We are trying to do the best we can for these people."

In an effort to reach even more veterans, VFFA has adopted newer, smaller nonprofits, which also service the veteran community, and taken them under its own 501(c) umbrella. For example, the National Association to End Veteran Suicide (na2evs) has gained connections to an existing network of veteran supporters by partnering with the VFFA.

"The VFFA is an incredible collaborating partner and we're very grateful for their support at our events.  We often refer veterans to their emergency assistance program. They are unique and resourceful," said Rod Wittmier, founder of na2evs.org.

The entirely volunteer-based board of the VFFA also works closely with the Orting Soldiers' Home, Building 9 for Veterans Transitional Housing Program at the Washington Veterans Home in Retsil and has a burgeoning relationship with the Warrior Transition Battalion on JBLM.

Donations can be made via http://veteransfamilyfund.org/donatenow.php or by mailing a check to: Veterans Family Fund of America,?P.O. Box 962,?Olympia, WA 98507. For more information on VFFA, visit veterans familyfund.org

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