Veterans' Trust Fund Grant Recipients Acknowledged for Improving the Lives of Pennsylvania's Veterans and their Families
ANNVILLE, Pa., Sept. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Maj. Gen. Tony Carrelli, Pennsylvania's adjutant general for the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA), today at an event in Camp Hill hosted by Pennsylvania Wounded Warriors, personally thanked Veterans' Trust Fund (VTF) grant recipients for their work in support of the commonwealth's nearly 900,000 veterans.
"We are proud to distribute these precious resources to organizations that do so much to serve our veterans," said Carrelli. "We want to personally acknowledge the organizations, their staff and volunteers who work tirelessly every day to provide assistance to Pennsylvania's veterans and their families. We want them all to know their efforts do not go unnoticed and that they are improving the lives of those who have selflessly served our country."
Today's event, was the first of four events being held in Camp Hill, Johnstown, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh to recognize 30 VTF grant recipients. Grants issued through the VTF allow DMVA to expand its partnerships with charitable organizations, veterans' service organizations and county directors of veterans affairs, which ultimately benefits commonwealth veterans and their families.
The nine organizations and veterans affairs offices recognized today for their special programs and services were:
- Carbon County Office of Veterans Affairs: Veterans' service dog program
- Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, Harrisburg (Dauphin County): MilitaryShare program
- Dauphin County Office of Veterans Affairs: Veteran identification cards and expanded outreach services
- Franklin County Office of Veterans Affairs: Save-A-Pet Save-A-Vet program
- Lackawanna County Office of Veterans Affairs: Veterans' treatment court services and mentoring program
- Monroe County Office of Veterans Affairs: Emergency assistance to veterans and their families
- Pennsylvania Wounded Warriors, Camp Hill (Cumberland County): Emergency financial assistance to veterans in need
- Snyder County Office of Veterans Affairs: Expanded outreach services for veterans
- Volunteers of America of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg (Dauphin County): Support homeless veterans' reintegration back into society
"As an all-volunteer organization, we rely on the good people of Pennsylvania, including the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs grant program, to serve veterans in need," said Helen Sajer, president of Pennsylvania Wounded Warriors. "We provide assistance to both wounded warriors of today and veterans of yesterday, so having these additional monies provides us with the flexibility to help the brave men and women from all eras of service who are down on their luck."
A total of 14 Pennsylvania counties' Veterans Affairs Offices received $150,000 in grants and 16 charitable or veteran service organizations received $500,000 in grants from the Pennsylvania Veterans' Trust Fund. The grants are funded by generous Pennsylvanians who voluntarily made a $3 donation when applying for or renewing their driver's license or photo ID and renewing a motor vehicle registration, proceeds from the sale of the Honoring Our Veterans license plates and private donations.
The DMVA is authorized to solicit and accept donations to the VTF on behalf of the commonwealth. Tax-deductible donations can be made online at www.donate.dmva.pa.gov or mailed to: PA Veterans' Trust Fund, Bldg. 0-47 Fort Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA 17003.
To learn more about the VTF, visit www.vtf.pa.gov or follow DMVA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/padmva.
MEDIA CONTACT: Joseph Butera, 717-861-2178
SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
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