Air Force Assistance Fund: Airmen helping Airmen

  • Published
  • By Nucleus staff
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  The Air Force Assistance Fund, an annual effort to raise funds for the charitable affiliates that provide support to Air Force families in need, is underway.

The fundraiser occurs once a year for six weeks, and it is the only campaign allowed to solicit and collect contributions from federal employees in the workplace. It began March 3 at Kirtland and will run to mid-April.

After signing a donation form on March 14, Col. Tom Miller, 377th Air Base Wing commander, said the AFAF is worthy of support because it provides assistance to Airmen where and when it is needed.

"The funds go directly to help Airmen. It's military people taking care of military people," Miller said.

Chief Master Sgt. John Dougherty, 377th ABW command chief, said AFAF money was recently used for a hotel stay for the mother of a local Airman. The Airman was in need of medical treatment, Dougherty said.

The AFAF also offers interest free loans, which require no credit check, Dougherty said.

The AFAF is made up of four Air Force charities:

■ The Air Force Village Foundation, which provides living arrangements for retired Air Force officers and their spouses.

■ The Air Force Aid Society, which provides emergency assistance to Airmen and their families.
Interest-free loans and grants are provided to individuals in need.

■ The General and Mrs. Curtis E. LeMay Foundation, which provides financial support to widows of retired Air Force members. The foundation's primary source of income is from the AFAF campaign. There are no loans within this foundation, so the beneficiaries need not pay anything back.

■ The Air Force Enlisted Village, which provides the spouses and even the mothers of active-duty and retired Air Force enlisted personnel in housing arrangements. Beneficiaries receive $1.1 million of housing and health services annually. Go to afassistancefund.org for more information.

Contact your unit representative for assistance and forms. For more information, contact 2nd Lt. Drew Lindley at 853-1835.