Fort McCoy’s 2020 Army Emergency Relief (AER) Campaign Kick-off breakfast is 8:30 a.m. March 3 at McCoy’s Community Center.
“We will have leaders from all around the installation at this event,” said Bobby T. Kim, Financial Readiness Program manager and AER officer with Fort McCoy Army Community Service (ACS). “I encourage all leaders of the Fort McCoy community to attend to see what Army Emergency Relief is all about and how they can help.”
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.
“The annual AER Campaign is an opportunity to tell everyone about the programs provided by AER,” Kim said. “Every donation helps.”
According to AER Headquarters, AER 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.
“This is why it’s important for people to donate to Army Emergency Relief, as well,” Kim said. “These scholarships directly affect people in our own community.”
There is no cost for people to attend the kick-off breakfast March 3.
“I encourage leadership to come to the breakfast and hear more about what AER does for our Army families,” Kim said.
In addition to government civilian employees and Soldiers, retired Army personnel also can donate to the AER campaign and are encouraged to attend the breakfast.
Visit www.aerhq.org or call Fort McCoy ACS to learn more about or to apply for assistance from AER.