News from Our Partners: Army Emergency Relief
Army Emergency Relief was founded in 1942 to provide aid to the brave service members who fought in World War II, many of whom had left higher paying jobs to serve their country. For 78 years AER’s mission has been to strengthen the financial readiness of Soldiers and their families by providing support to our comrades experiencing hardship. The success of AER’s mission is made possible by donations from Soldiers like you.
Each spring the Army leads a campaign, not only to ask for your support, but to inform Soldiers about the assistance AER provides. Many of our donors have shared how AER assisted them during their time in service. Last year a retired Soldier wrote:
“I may have retired a Master Sergeant, but I never forgot the help I received as a Private from AER. It made it easy to contribute over the course of my 25 year career.”
Samuel J. Canty, Master Sergeant, Retired
Retired Soldiers, Soldiers for Life, are eligible to receive the same level of AER assistance as an Active Duty Soldier. Over the last five years, AER provided an average of $15 million in assistance per year to retired Soldiers for financial emergencies such as: home repairs following natural disasters, medical bills not covered by Tricare, and more (over 30 categories of assistance).
One of AER’s lesser known programs is our need-based scholarships for spouses and dependents. In 2018, we provided $4.5 million to the families of retired Soldiers. While this assistance may not be an emergency, it is still needed.
Even a small monthly donation will help provide for current and future generations of Soldiers, both active and retired. Please join our Legacy of Caring and offer a hand up to your fellow Soldiers in need.
Page last updated on Dec 18, 2019