09/27/2021 | News release | Distributed by Public on 09/27/2021 07:58
Funds Help Veterans with Otherwise Unmet Needs
Governor Tom Wolf announced today that nine Pennsylvania county Veterans Affairs Offices will receive $150,000 in grants, and 20 charitable or Veteran Service Organizations will receive $650,000 in grants from the Veterans' Trust Fund (VTF), administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA).
The VTF is funded by generous Pennsylvanians who voluntarily make a $3 donation when applying for or renewing their driver's license, photo ID, or a motor vehicle registration. Additionally, the VTF receives proceeds that come from the sale of the Honoring Our Veterans and Honoring Our Women Veterans license plates, or by making private donations. Since the grant program began in 2013, a total of $4,532,860 has been awarded to organizations that serve Pennsylvania veterans.
"County offices and civic organizations count on funding from the Veterans' Trust Fund to optimally serve veterans throughout our communities," said Governor Wolf. "Veterans in need of housing, employment, behavioral health counseling and other social services would be facing unmet needs without these important funds."
Grantees slated to receive funding identified $702,517 in matching funds pledged toward grant-funded initiatives. Combined with the VTF grants, this will result in more than $1.5 million for veterans' initiatives during the next two years.
"The DMVA routinely connects veterans to benefits and programs, but we cannot provide this crucial service without help," said Maj. Gen. Mark Schindler, Pennsylvania's adjutant general and head of the DMVA. "The VTF program is successful because of the generous donations of Pennsylvanians and our ability to reach deep into every community thanks to the work of the grantees. This collaborative effort helps to ensure veterans receive every benefit they earned through their service to our nation."
Up to a total of $150,000 in grant funding was available for new, innovative, or expanded programs or services provided by County Directors of Veterans Affairs or the Pennsylvania Association of County Directors of Veterans Affairs. The two areas of emphasis for grantees in this category were veterans' outreach and veterans' courts. The grantees, the specific award amounts, and the programs supported are as follows:
The VTF grant also identified up to a total of $650,000 in funding available to Veteran Service Organizations with 501(c)(19) status and non-profit, 501(c)(3), charitable organizations with a mission of serving Pennsylvania veterans. Funding priorities for grants in this category were veterans programs focused on homelessness, behavioral health initiatives, veterans' court initiatives or other programs addressing newly identified, unmet or emerging needs of veterans and their families. The grantees, the specific award amounts, and the programs supported are as follows:
All grant awards are contingent upon the completion of a fully executed grant agreement.
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.