Helping When Families Need it Most

Dec 30, 2016

Too often, families of deployed troops or recently discharged veterans find themselves with unexpected expenses. Perhaps the family car quit running or the furnace stopped working on a frigid day.

This is why VFW’s Unmet Needs is such a valuable program. It provides financial assistance up to $5,000 to active-duty troops or veterans for expenses such as rent, mortgage, vehicle repairs and utilities.

Tyisha Jones is one such veteran. She served in the Army as a human resource specialist from 2010 until 2015. During Operation Enduring Freedom, she was stationed in Qatar from November 2013 until October 2014.

After she was discharged from the Army, Jones moved back to Memphis, Tenn., where she enrolled in ITT-Technical Institute. Unfortunately, that institution unexpectedly filed for bankruptcy, leaving thousands of students feeling helpless.

 “It left me and other students in a financial crisis,” said Jones, the mother of two children.

Jones searched online for programs offering help to military veterans. That’s when she happened upon the Unmet Needs program.

“VFW gave me peace of mind,” she said. “It helped me pay my late bills and bring them current. I almost lost hope, but after I contacted VFW they assured me that they would assist, and they held their promise.”

Jones, who is now enrolled at Strayer University in Memphis and working for General Electric, said she would give VFW an “exceptional rating” for its work in helping her.

“I would tell other veterans, ‘If you ever find yourself in a financial crisis like I did, do not hesitate to contact VFW,’” she said. “They took care of me, and you can rest assured they will take care of you.”

Photo caption: VFW Unmet Needs grant recipient Tyisha Jones and her son.

By Janie Dyhouse, associate editor, VFW magazine