Auxiliary Programs

Americanism

“Americanism is an unfailing love of country, loyalty to its institutions and ideas; eagerness to defend it against all enemies; undivided allegiance to the flag; and a desire to secure the blessings of liberty and posterity.”

The Americanism Program:

• Promotes Patriotism by celebrating America’s Patriotic Days.

• Teaches respect and proper care for the U.S. Flag.
  • Flag Education for Kids

• Brings attention to Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action by hosting POW/MIA ceremonies to both educate the public and honor these special veterans.
  • Missing Man Table Ceremony

Auxiliary Outreach

Volunteering is second nature for VFW Auxiliary members. It’s what we do, how we do it, where we do it and why we do it – because it’s always the right thing to do.

While emphasis is placed on our core VFW and Auxiliary Programs, Auxiliaries also partner with other community organizations. Auxiliaries can report and be recognized for such community work through the Auxiliary Outreach Program.

When an entire Auxiliary partners with another organization outside our own, it is considered Auxiliary Outreach if the project was approved by the Auxiliary and recorded in the meeting minutes prior to the project.

Examples include:

• Participation in walks that benefit other organizations as an event spotter, water station volunteer, timekeeper, etc. (Walking or running in the race is not part of Auxiliary Outreach.)
• Working with local police on child ID kits.
• Working with firefighters on fire safety and prevention.
• Working with EMTs to host CPR training.
• Handing out food at soup kitchens.
• Partnering with an animal shelter to hold a spay and neuter clinic.
• Partner with a local community theatre to provide the house volunteers (ushers, concessions, etc.) for one weekend of performances.
• Working with parks and recreation departments to plant trees, adopt-a-park initiatives and develop community art installations.

VFW Auxiliary members work with other organizations in their communities, often individually, and often behind the scenes, but Auxiliary Outreach gives us the opportunity to work together as members alongside members of another organization to do more with local communities and to be recognized in doing so.

Buddy Poppy & National Home

The VFW Auxiliary works to honor and a make a difference in the lives of veterans, service members and their families. Two ways we do this are through the VFW “Buddy”® Poppy Program and the VFW National Home for Children.

The “Buddy”® Poppy & VFW National Home for Children Program:

• Promotes and Supports the VFW “Buddy”® Poppy Program
  The VFW conducted its first poppy distribution before Memorial Day in 1922, becoming the first veterans’ organization to organize a nationwide distribution. The next year, the VFW decided that VFW “Buddy”® Poppies would be assembled by disabled and needy veterans who would be paid for their work. VFW “Buddy”® Poppies are still assembled by disabled and needy veterans in VA Hospitals, providing compensation to the veterans who assemble the poppies. The poppy program also provides financial assistance in maintaining state and national veterans’ rehabilitation and service programs and partially supports the VFW National Home for Children.
• Promotes and Supports the VFW National Home for Children
  For more than 90 years, the National Home has helped military‬ and ‪veteran‬ families who need a fresh start. Families can live there rent-free for up to four years and have access to professional case management services, on-site licensed child care, life skills training, tutoring and other educational services as well as recreational and community service opportunities. Families find healing in a safe and peaceful environment of tree-lined streets, 42 single-family homes, facilities such as a gym, library, computer and science labs, day care center, playgrounds, fishing pond, hiking trails and more!
• Promotes the National Home Helpline
  The National Home Helpline is the first step on the path to help for ‪‎military‬ and ‪veteran‬ families. This free service helps callers with pressing needs nationwide seek solutions in their own communities. The Helpline is answered by caring professionals M-F 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Eastern, except holidays. Messages left after hours and on weekends are answered the next business day. Contact the Helpline at 800.313.4200 or help@vfwnationalhome.org.

Historian & Media

The Historian & Media Relations Program encompasses memory keeping and collecting the five Ws: the who-what-where-when and-why of an Auxiliary. Members involved with this program compile and chronicle memories and events in written format, photographs, memorabilia and print news/video clips. They also spread the word about our valuable National Programs and share how we are making a positive impact in the lives of veterans, service members and their families in thousands of communities across the country.

Hospital

VFW Auxiliary members have been working to meet the needs of hospitalized veterans in VA Medical Centers and other medical facilities since the organization’s inception in 1914. Auxiliary members volunteer more than 400,000 hours annually and one in 15 members volunteers through the Hospital Program.

The Hospital Program:

• Promotes volunteerism of members, non-members, youth and families in local hospitals, veterans’ homes, nursing homes, domiciliaries and both VA and non-VA medical centers and clinics. Opportunities vary based on the facility and age and abilities of the volunteer.
  • Visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Research & Development for information and printable fact sheets of key areas being studied by VA researches

Legislative

VFW Auxiliary members are instrumental in assisting the VFW pass or block legislation that impacts veterans and their families. Each year, members contact legislators to share our views regarding such legislation with them and invite them to share their positions on veterans’ issues; we hold legislators accountable for honoring America’s promises to our nation’s veterans.

The Legislative Program:

• Promotes the VFW Priority Goals.
  The Priority Goals reflect the resolutions passed by the VFW to strengthen and ensure an adequate VA system for millions of current and future veterans. They call for much-needed attention to crises and are grouped under six areas of concern:
  • Budget
  • Health Care
  • Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs
  • Education, Employment and Transition Assistance
  • Military Quality of Life
  • National Security, Foreign Affairs and POW/MIA
• Promotes Action Corps
  Stay informed and up-to-date on issues facing our veterans, our military and their families by signing up to receive the VFW’s Action Corps Weekly e-newsletter. The VFW Action Corps is free and open to all patriotic Americans who care about the military and veterans’ communities.
• Encourages all citizens to exercise their right to vote and contact legislators regarding issues impacting veterans and their families.
  • The White House
  • United States House of Representatives
  • United States Senate
  • National Archives – Legislative Branch: The Center for Legislative Archives

Membership

The VFW Auxiliary started with a small group of women who wanted to serve veterans. Today, we have nearly 470,000 male and female members and more than 3,500 Auxiliaries representing all 50 states, the Philippines, Panama and Guam.

Membership in the VFW Auxiliary is an excellent way to show your support of America’s veterans. If you are a member, we encourage you to participate and to ask someone else to join. If you are not a member, we invite you to join us as we work to improve the lives of America’s veterans, service members and their families and communities across this great nation.

Your membership dues support the VFW Auxiliary’s original objectives by supporting the Veterans of Foreign Wars, serving veterans, service members and their families, and spreading patriotism nationwide.

Mentoring

The VFW Auxiliary started with a small group of women who wanted to serve veterans. Today, we have nearly 470,000 male and female members and more than 3,500 Auxiliaries representing all 50 states, the Philippines, Panama and Guam.

Membership in the VFW Auxiliary is an excellent way to show your support of America’s veterans. If you are a member, we encourage you to participate and to ask someone else to join. If you are not a member, we invite you to join us as we work to improve the lives of America’s veterans, service members and their families and communities across this great nation.

Your membership dues support the VFW Auxiliary’s original objectives by supporting the Veterans of Foreign Wars, serving veterans, service members and their families, and spreading patriotism nationwide.

Scholarships

The VFW Auxiliary is proud to offer and participate in scholarship contests that promote patriotism, assist students in furthering their education and help students reach their full potential.

The Scholarship Program:

• Promotes and conducts the VFW Auxiliary Continuing Education Scholarship. This scholarship is open to any VFW Auxiliary member (who has belonged for at least a year), his/her spouse, son or daughter with a financial need. Check back on July 1 for the most current scholarship information.
• Promotes and conducts the VFW Auxiliary Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest and the 3-Dimensional Patriotic Art Contest. These contests are open to students, including home-schooled students, in grades 9-12. The National first-place winner of the Young American Patriotic Art Contest will receive a $15,000 scholarship. The National first-place winner of the 3-Dimensional Patriotic Art Contest will receive a $2,500.
• Promotes and supports the VFW Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest. This contest is open to all students, including home-schooled students, in grades 6-8. The national first-place winner will receive $5,000.
• Promotes and supports the VFW Voice of Democracy Audio-Essay Contest. This contest is open to all students, including home-schooled students, in grades 9-12. The national first-place winner will receive a $35,000 scholarship.

Veterans & Family Support

Veterans, service members and their families often face unexpected challenges and the VFW Auxiliary is here to assist them in their time of need. Since its founding in 1914, the VFW Auxiliary has worked tirelessly to offer financial and moral support to those who need it most.

The Veterans & Family Support Program:

• Offers support for veterans, service members and their families. Our Veterans & Family Support Resource Card includes a list of 20 organizations and agencies that offer support to veterans, service members and their families.
• Promotes Veteran and Military Suicide Awareness and Prevention
  Each day, an estimated 20 veterans commit suicide. You can help lower this number and make a difference in the life of a veteran or service member in crisis by educating yourself and others about the warning signs of suicide.The Veteran & Military Suicide Awareness Blue Teardrop Sticker is the VFW Auxiliary’s symbol to give this issue the attention it so desperately needs. Wear the teardrop to open a conversation; when asked what the teardrop is, share that it’s to create awareness for veteran and military suicide.
  • The Veterans Crisis Line connects veterans in crisis and their families and friends with qualified, caring Department of Veterans Affairs responders through a confidential toll-free hotline, online chat, or text. Veterans and their loved ones can call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, chat online, or send a text message to 838255 to receive confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Support for deaf and hard of hearing individuals is available.
• Promotes VFW’s National Veterans Service (NVS)
  VFW’s National Veterans Service (NVS) helps veterans, service members and their families obtain the benefits they deserve – free of charge. NVS provides a nationwide network of more than 2,000 VA-accredited VFW Service Officers across America and abroad who help hundreds of thousands of veterans navigate the Veterans Affairs system each year. In 2018, VFW’s service officers recovered more than $8.3 billion (yes, billion!) in earned benefits and compensation for veterans and their dependents, which includes $1.4 billion in new claims. Service officers assist all veterans, whether they are VFW members or not, in filing claims for:
  • Disability compensation
  • Rehabilitation and education programs, including GI Bill benefits
  • Pension and death benefits
  • Employment and training programs
• Promotes VFW’s Veterans & Military Support Programs
  The VFW’s Veteran & Military Support Programs serve active-duty and recently discharged members of the military.
  • VFW’s “Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship” provides service members and veterans with scholarships of up to $5,000 to complete their educational goals without incurring excessive student load debt.
  • Unmet Needs is there to help America’s service members who have run into unexpected financial difficulties. The program provides financial aid of up to $1,500 to assist with basic life needs in the form of a grant – not a loan – so no repayment is required. To further ease the burden, the creditor is paid directly. The financial hardship must be due to one of the following:
    • Currently on active duty, whose financial hardship is a result of a current deployment, military pay error, or from being discharged for medical reasons.
    • Discharged on or after September 11, 2001, whose financial hardship is a direct result of your military service connected injuries and/or illnesses.
    • Discharged prior to September 11, 2001, are on a fixed income that must include VA compensation for a service connected injury/illness and facing an unexpected financial hardship.
  • The Military Assistance Program helps provide financial assistance to VFW Post and Auxiliaries to sponsor troop send-offs, homecomings and get-togethers. Posts and Auxiliaries participating in Adopt-A-Unit and Family Readiness Groups can also receive assistance.

Youth Activites