Standing behind our troops and their families, providing a lifeline of financial relief, mental health support, and unwavering care whenever and wherever they need it most.
Veterans & Family Support Chairman: Kim Rudy
The VFW Auxiliary Veterans and Family Support Program provides critical financial, emotional, and navigational assistance to active-duty service members, veterans, and their families. Since 1914, this program has worked to ease the unique burdens of military life by connecting families with a comprehensive network of support agencies and resources.
The program places a significant focus on promoting veteran and military suicide awareness and prevention. Auxiliary members actively work to destigmatize mental health challenges by wearing the Blue Teardrop to spark open conversations about warning signs, while promoting the
Veterans Crisis Line (accessible 24/7 by dialing 988 and pressing 1, or texting 838255). Additionally, the program champions the VFW's
National Veterans Service (NVS), a massive network of accredited service officers who help veterans secure billions of dollars in earned disability, pension, and education benefits completely free of charge.
The program also provides direct, tangible relief through the VFW’s suite of Veterans & Military Support Programs. This includes backing the "
Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship" for student veterans and promoting the
Unmet Needs program, which delivers emergency, direct-to-creditor grants of up to $1,500 for families facing unexpected financial hardships related to their service. Finally, through the
Military Assistance Program, the Auxiliary secures funding for morale-boosting events like troop send-offs and homecomings, ensuring that those who serve feel the unwavering support of their community every step of the way.
