Honor the dead by helping the living
The VFW traces its roots
back to 1899 when veterans of the Spanish-American War (1898) and the
Philippine insurrection (1899-1902) founded local organizations to secure
rights and benefits for their service.
The VFW provides
numerous services to military service members and their families.
• MAP has helped
fund Farewell and Welcome Home gatherings for military units worldwide.
• Operation Uplink provides free, pre-paid phone cards to service members.
• Unmet Needs can give a one-time grant up to $1,500 for qualifying
service members and their families experiencing financial hardship.
Flags and flag education
are essential elements of the VFW's Citizenship Education program.
Fostering patriotism and
honoring America's veterans on Patriotic Days: Memorial Day, lndependence Day,
Patriots Day, Loyalty Day, Veterans Day and POW/MlA Recognition day
Constructive Community
Service is a founding VFW tenet with volunteerism benefiting education, the
environment, health sciences, and civic projects. The VFW's citizenship
education program is designed to stimulate an interest in America's history,
its traditions, and institutions, as well as promote patriotism. The VFW also
partners with the National Rifle Association, U.S. Chamber of Commerce,
lnternational Association of Firefighters, the Salvation Army and Boy Scouts of
America.
The VFW's Citizenship
Education program arms teachers with school activities and resources designed
to teach America's youth about patriotism and service and about the
contributions of our nation's veterans in preserving peace.
VFW Scholarship Programs
include Voice of Democracy, Patriot's Pen, and VFW Military Family Scholarship.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of students participate in garnering more
than $3.1 million in scholarships and incentives.
The VFW's presence on
Capitol Hill allows VFW officials to monitor and lobby Congress for legislative
action targeted toward maintaining a strong national defense and improving
military benefits and quality of life for all veterans, including those
currently serving in the active-duty military, the National Guard and the Reserves.
One of the VFW's most
successful legislative push was making college education affordable for
military service members with the signing of the 1944 Gl Bill of Rights, and in
1984, the signing of the Montgomery GI Bill.
For more than 75 years,
the VFW's Buddy Poppy program has raised millions of dollars in support of
veterans' welfare and the well being of their dependents.