News from Our Partners: Army Emergency Relief Support
Army Emergency Relief’s mission is to support Retired Soldiers and their Families, as well as your Active Duty brothers and sisters. As 2020 brought many unforeseen challenges to Soldiers and their Families, AER remains committed to providing financial support through zero-interest loans or grants to help those in need, whether your request is routine or related to COVID-19. Help is not limited to the 30+ categories of assistance listed on our website, if you need support, just ask – AER’s goal is to find a way to say “yes.”
As of mid-November, AER provided $1.3 million in COVID-19 financial aid to 766 Soldiers and their Families. Twenty-four percent of the pandemic relief was provided to 186 Retired Soldiers for a total of $343,000. Loss of pay, followed by requests for home school and remote learning supplies and equipment continue to be the top reasons Retired Soldiers seek assistance for COVID-19 support. Hurricane season and wildfires in the west hit historical levels this fall, and AER provided $37,000 in assistance to the retired community for recovery efforts related to the damage caused by these events. AER is here to help you weather the financial challenges you may face, and we will continue to assess the impact of the pandemic and adapt to meet the needs of the Army Team.
To further address the challenges Soldiers and their families face, the AER loan team reviewed and converted 500 COVID zero-interest loans for nearly $1 million into grants. We will continue to review those AER loans provided due to the impact of COVID and convert them to grants when possible. “We wanted to personally thank you for the money grant to purchase more school supplies. …These items will aid us for years to come. Thank you for investing in Justin's education,” retired Specialist Aaron McNeal.
As we near the end of what is a prolific year, AER is eternally grateful for your generosity. The retired community stepped up during one of the most chaotic periods in our nation’s history and raised $3.5 million dollars thus far for fellow Soldiers in need! The Retired Soldier campaign surpassed 2019 donations by nearly $650,000. We are overwhelmed by your dedication and legacy of giving to those currently serving and those who have honorably served their country into retirement.
AER officially launched the first edition of “The AER Advocate Newsletter” this past October. If you’d like to learn more about the most recent happenings within the organization, please sign up for the newsletter at the bottom of our homepage:
https://www.armyemergencyrelief.org/
Visit our website to learn more about our special assistance programs during COVID-19:
https://www.armyemergencyrelief.org/covid19/ or call us at 866-878-6378. Many field offices are operating remotely with online assistance requests and Electronic Funds Transfer. If you’re having trouble reaching a program officer, our partnership with the American Red Cross (877-272-7337) also allows you to apply for AER assistance remotely.
Page Updated Dec 16, 2020