ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. -APG senior leadership celebrated the start of the
Army Emergency Relief fundraising campaign during a kickoff event at the Exchange here, March 11.
This year’s campaign theme is “A Hand Up, Not a Hand-Out: Asking for Help is a Sign of Strength.” AER, founded in 1942, is the official nonprofit of the U.S. Army. It provides Soldiers with emergency financial assistance in the form of zero-interest loans and grants.
Soldiers helping Soldiers
The AER campaign is held annually, from March 1 through May 15. This year’s goal is to raise $50,000, according to Installation AER Coordinator Capt. Matthew McDuffie, commander of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company at the APG garrison.
“The best part about this campaign is that it is Soldiers helping out other Soldiers,” he said. “So if you feel compelled to give it is a good opportunity to help someone that needs it.”
Another positive aspect of the campaign is that it raises awareness about AER, he said.
Providing assistance during a pandemic
During the March 11 installation town hall APG Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Ruth Drewitt gave an overview of AER to the workforce. She explained how AER helped Soldiers with financial assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. The main factors that drove AER requests were spouse loss of income, childcare and the Department of Defense travel ban, she said.
On Feb. 27, AER announced the COVID-19 Childcare Assistance Program and Homeschool and Remote Education Assistance would become a needs-based, 100% grant assistance program for Soldiers who demonstrate a confirmed valid need caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, requests for childcare, homeschool and remote learning assistance were met with grants, zero-interest loans, or a combination of both, depending on the needs of the Soldier.
According to Drewitt, in 2020, AER provided 20,000 Soldiers and Families with $50 million in financial assistance. There are more than 30 authorized categories of emergency financial assistance, she said. The most common categories are vehicle repairs, housing costs, emergency travel, food, funeral expenses and leave under emergency conditions.
“AER is funded 100% through donations,” she said. “The program cannot function if people don’t donate. Most families will not need AER, but we are responsible for those that do.”
APG Financial Readiness Program Manager Leary Henry, with Army Community Service, said last year at the local level 51 applications were approved; $106,000 in loans and $9,004 in grants were issued.
Eligibility
According to the AER website, the following individuals are eligible for AER financial assistance in accordance with Army Regulation 930-4:
- Soldiers on active duty and their eligible dependents
- Army Reserve and National Guard Soldiers activated on Title 10 orders for more than 30 days and their eligible dependents
- Soldiers retired for longevity, medical, or upon reaching age 60 (reserve component) and their eligible dependents
- Surviving spouses who have not remarried and children of Soldiers who died on active duty or died after reaching retirement eligibility
AER also offers undergraduate scholarships to family members of both active and retired Soldiers.
For more information and to donate
Donations can be made online at https://www.armyemergencyrelief.org/donate. Active duty and retired Soldiers have the option to contribute by allotment from their monthly pay. Exchange customers can also donate at the cash register.
For more information, call McDuffie at 410-278-9370 or email matthew.t.mcduffie.mil@mail.mil.
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