Air Force Assistance Fund underway at Kirtland

  • Published
  • AFAF Campaign Office
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  For the next four weeks, the Air Force Assistance Fund will give the men and women serving on Kirtland Air Force Base a chance to contribute to the greater good of the Air Force.

"The most important thing to know is that the AFAF contributes to four foundations and organizations and they all do things for the entire Air Force family as a whole," stated Senior Master Sgt. Keith Corcorcan, program leader for 2018.

The AFAF exists to provide assistance to members of the Air Force, regardless of rank and whether they are still serving or retired. Active duty Airmen, Air National Guard and Air Force reservists are eligible to make contributions, but anyone can contribute by making direct contact with an Air Force representative or one of the four foundations/organizations.

Each individual who donates must select which organization they donate to; AFAF representatives do not endorse one over another.

The first option is the Air Force Village, a retirement community dedicated to caring for retired Air Force officers' widowed spouses who need financial assistance. The AFV, founded 50 years ago, provides a secure, comfortable environment where widows and widowers are surrounded by friends.

Similarly, the Air Force Enlisted Village was established in 1975 to ensure that surviving spouses of retired enlisted Airmen are not living in less than desirable conditions or homeless. AFEV also serves the mothers of active duty and retired airmen and provides temporary housing to surviving spouses of enlisted members who die while on active duty.

Next, there is the LeMay Foundation, founded by General and Mrs. Curtis LeMay, which awards grants to the surviving spouses of both enlisted and officer retirees. In 2017, LeMay Foundation gave over $600,000 in assistance that benefitted widows with monthly grants to augment incomes that fall below the poverty line and it also provided one-time grants to assist with needs like hearing aids, dental care, and minor home repairs.

Finally, the Air Force Aid Society has provided worldwide emergency assistance to airmen and their families since 1942 and sponsored educational and proactive community programs to help improve their quality of life. Whether the emergency is a death in the family, a car repair, or basic living expenses, AFAS can step in. There are also $6 million in needs-based education grants available to eligible spouses and dependent children.

In 2016, AFAS direct assistance totaled over $15 million across the Air Force, which equaled approximately 52,000 assists to airmen and families in need.

According to Corcoran, 2017 donations earmarked for the AFAS from Kirkland AFB were tallied at a little over $41,000; in turn, Kirtland AFB airmen and families received close to $104,000 in assistance that ranged from community programs to dental care.

"Our goal this year is to reach and contact 100 percent of the eligible contributors," said Master Sgt. Johnathan Robinson, who is part of a team of more than 30 Airmen working on the fund. "We are all working together to make this a successful year."

The 2018 goal for Kirtland AFB is $55,798.

The Air Force Assistance Fund campaign started March 26 and will finish May 4. To donate or get further information, contact Master Sgt. Keith Corcoran at keith.corcoran@us.af.mil or Master Sgt. Johnathan Robinson at johnathan.d.robinson6.mil@mail.mil. Each unit also has unit project officers who can help.