Finding relief
Home is meant to be a place of safety and rest.
Family and friends gather together, making memories during special occasions—birthdays, holidays, graduation celebrations or just for fun. But what happens when a family loses everything due to a disaster?
For veterans who are disabled as a result of their military service, the effects of fires, floods and other disasters can be even more devastating. The sacrifices they made in uniform can make their recovery much harder.
It is important for them to know they are never alone.
True to the mission of veterans helping veterans, DAV (Disabled American Veterans) is among the first charities to respond, distributing over $2 million in relief in 2022 alone to help our heroes get back on their feet.
For disabled veterans especially, waiting hours in line to receive government assistance that may take days, weeks or months to arrive is even more difficult. That’s why DAV’s disaster relief grants are vital to veterans who have been hit hard by these catastrophes.
DAV advocates are passionate about helping veterans and delivering relief grants and essential items on the spot, giving their fellow veterans hope.
World War II veteran Harold Dineen applied for and received assistance after being displaced when wildfires raged across New Mexico.World War II veteran Harold Dineen and his wife, Marcella, were temporarily displaced when wildfires raged through their hometown of Mora, New Mexico. The check they received from DAV helped with their hotel stays.
“Because the wildfires kept changing directions, we had to keep moving, staying in different hotels,” Dineen said. “We were spending a lot in gas, so the funds from DAV certainly helped us a great deal.”
Since its inception in 1968, the DAV Disaster Relief Program has disbursed over $17 million in aid to veterans or their surviving spouses. Beyond the financial assistance given in 2022, DAV handed out about 975 comfort supply kits to veterans affected by natural disasters. The kits—which include backpacks, blankets and hygiene items—afford safety, relief and self-sufficiency in an extended emergency, disaster or evacuation.
Floodwaters rage in Eastern Kentucky. Army veteran Taulbee Abner and his wife Phyllis lost their home due to the flooding.Army veteran Taulbee Abner and his wife, Phyllis, were dangerously close to losing their lives when drought conditions mixed with heavy rains created flash floods in Eastern Kentucky. As they tried to leave their home through the front door, water came gushing in. The back door presented the same problem. Since the flooding had knocked out the phone lines, they couldn’t call for help. Trapped inside, they sat in the kitchen, held hands and prayed.
“I didn’t know if we’d see morning,” said Abner.
Eventually, the flooding receded. Their lives were spared, but their home was not.
Thankfully, DAV service officers contacted the Abners and gave them a check to assist them during this especially vulnerable time.
“We’re so thankful, and it felt like there might be some hope of getting started again,” said Phyllis Abner.
Marine veteran Larry Kay’s Florida home was demolished by Hurricane Ian. It was the deadliest storm to hit Florida since 1935.Marine Corps veteran Larry Kay and his wife, Shelly, endured the onslaught of Hurricane Ian’s 150 mph wind gusts for eight hours straight. The couple waited out the storm at the two-story residence of a friend. When the storm subsided, they went home only to discover they’d lost everything.
“DAV was there and help was immediate, which made all the difference in the world,” Kay said. “As a man and a father, having assistance right at the beginning allows you to save your dignity.”
This prompt provision is at the forefront of DAV’s disaster relief.
“I’ve met veterans who endured moving every two years and multiple deployments. When they lost their house in a tornado, they told me they felt like they had nothing left,” said DAV National Adjutant and CEO Marc Burgess, a Navy veteran. “Thanks to our generous supporters and hardworking volunteers, they knew they had the community behind them. And they knew they’d have a roof over their heads while they got things sorted out.”
Will you join us in keeping the promise to America's veterans? You can support our nation's heroes by making a gift to DAV today.
