Courtesy Photo | The 2020 Army Emergency Relief Campaign continues through June 15, 2020. Visit...... read more read more
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Due to the Army response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Army Emergency Relief (AER) Campaign has been extended from May 15 to June 15.
Bobby T. Kim, Financial Readiness Program manager and AER officer with Fort McCoy Army Community Service (ACS), said during the AER Campaign Kick-off breakfast in March that AER provides critical support to Soldiers and families.
“AER has utilized more than $2 billion to help more than 4 million Soldiers since 1942,” Kim said at the breakfast. “The annual AER Campaign is an opportunity to tell everyone about the programs provided by AER. Every donation helps.”
AER helps provide emergency financial funds for food, rent, funeral expenses, emergency medical expenses, and other needs. Contributions to AER help active-duty Soldiers (single and married) and their families, retirees and their family members, and surviving spouses or orphans of Soldiers who died while on active duty or after they retired.
During the pandemic response, AER is continuing to help people, said retired Lt. Gen. Ray Mason, AER director, in a message April 1.
“Since our beginning in 1942, AER has been a key partner with the Army and Soldiers as they face tough times during peace, crisis, or combat … true to our motto of Soldiers Helping Soldiers,” Mason said. “We remain at our battle stations in support of America’s Army.
“As we face this crisis, both individually and part of the awesome Army team, I want every Soldier and their family to know that AER is here to help you weather financial challenges … as it has done for 78 years! The whole Army Team should know that AER is operating at a heightened readiness level. We’ve activated special systems and procedures to provide financial assistance through your chain of command, in person, or electronically (https://www.armyemergencyrelief.org/covid19). We’re assessing the situation daily and adapting to meet the need.”
According to AER Headquarters, AER also provides millions of dollars of assistance to tens of thousands of people every year. This includes millions for scholarships to spouses and children of Soldiers. Out of every dollar donated, 90 cents goes to help Soldiers and their families.
“The AER scholarship program eases the financial burdens of our active-duty and retired Soldiers by providing $500 to $3,400 scholarships per year toward an undergraduate degree program,” Kim said. “AER scholarships do not pay for the whole undergraduate education; however, any amount paid toward that education for a family is a relief and less amount to borrow in student loans.”
Kim said many students at Fort McCoy have benefitted from the scholarships. During the 2018-19 school year, 23 students from Fort McCoy received AER scholarships totaling $51,950. And so far during the 2019-20 school year, 35 students received AER scholarships totaling more than $44,000.
In addition to government civilian employees and Soldiers, retired Army personnel also can donate to the AER campaign. Visit www.armyemergencyrelief.org learn more about how to donate or to apply for assistance from AER.
| Date Taken: | 04.30.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 04.30.2020 15:21 |
| Story ID: | 368929 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 73 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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