JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- The 2019 Air Force Assistance Fund campaign will kick off March 18 and run through April 26 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.
The AFAF campaign is an annual fundraising effort among Air Force personnel for the benefit of Air Force personnel and their families. Contributions raise money for four non-profit AFAF charities that provide financial support for Airmen, National Guardsmen, and Reservists, as well as spouses, immediate family members and veterans.
“It’s one of those situations where you pay it forward,” said Allen Gardner, the Air Force Aid Society officer at the Military Family Readiness Center. “You commit yourself to helping everyone as a collective.”
The charities which benefit from the AFAF are the Air Force Aid Society, Air Force Enlisted Village, Air Force Villages Charitable Foundation and the General and Mrs. Curtis E. LeMay Foundation.
In 2018, JBER raised a total of $60,156 for the Air Force Aid Society.
The Air Force Aid Society provides Airmen and their families worldwide with emergency financial assistance, educational support and various base-level community enhancement programs.
“In 2018 JBER AFAS disbursed $62,558 in emergency loans and grants and $15,593 in support of community programs, including “Bundles for Babies” and the Spouse Employment Program,” Gardner said. “Additionally, Airmen and their families received $54,700 in education aid.
“These would have not been possible without the AFAF contributions designated to AFAS.”
The Air Force Enlisted Village provides financial assistance and homes for retired enlisted, and their spouses, widowed or widowers who are 55 and older.
Similarly, the Air Force Villages support independent and assisted living needs for retired officers and their spouses, widows or widowers and family members.
The General and Mrs. Curtis E. Lemay Foundation provides monetary grants for surviving spouses of retirees. Grants include one-time payments to help alleviate with unexpected expenses and monthly assistance.
Contributions to the AFAF are strictly voluntary and tax-deductible. Donations can be sent directly to the AFAF website.
For more information on the AFAF campaign, visit www.afassistancefund.org.