[StBernard] FINANCIAL RELIEF AVAILABLE FOR MILITARY FAMILIES

[Westley Annis]

FINANCIAL RELIEF AVAILABLE FOR MILITARY FAMILIES

BATON ROUGE---Starting today, Louisiana residents who are members of a reserve component of the U.S. Armed Forces or the National Guard and have served a minimum of 30 days' active duty or active state service since September 11, 2001 may apply for financial relief from the Louisiana Military Family Assistance fund. 

The Military Family Assistance fund was established by the 2005 Louisiana Legislature to help soldiers and their families defray the costs of necessities, such as food, housing and medical services, that become difficult to afford when a wage-earner has temporarily left civilian employment to be placed on active military duty. The fund provides a means by which Louisiana citizens and businesses can donate money that will be used to pay the need-based claims of family members of activated military personnel. No tax money is used to support the fund.

"Louisiana citizens want an opportunity to do their part to keep our soldiers focused on the job at hand: protecting our precious rights and freedoms," said Major General Hunt Downer, chair of the Military Family Assistance Board. "That's why the Military Family Assistance Fund was created, to give Louisiana citizens the opportunity to support, through voluntary donations, the families of active Louisiana military personnel who are experiencing financial need."

The fund was established to address the financial hardship experienced by reservists and National Guardsmen when they are called up to active duty. Their civilian salaries are placed on hold while they are deployed, and they receive military salaries that are often substantially less than their civilian salaries. "Approximately 40% of our National Guard and reserve soldiers make less money when mobilized than they earn in their civilian jobs," Senator Reggie P. Dupre, Jr. said. "Among those whose pay was cut, the average decrease was $3,000.00," he said. Dupre authored Act 151 which created the fund. 


MFA Fund 

Businesses and citizens may mail donations directly to the fund or by checking the appropriate box on their individual or corporate state tax returns. Checks or money orders should be made payable to LA Military Family Assistance Fund and mailed to LA Military Family Assistance Fund, c/o Department of Social Services, Post Office Box 2784, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-2784. All donations are state income tax deductible and will be deposited in a special account located in the state treasury and used solely as provided for by Act 151. 

"Many Louisiana members of a reserve component of the United States Army, Navy, Airforce, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Louisiana National Guard are currently deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom," Downer said. "It is crucial that we keep this program fully funded until every one of them returns home." 

The Military Family Assistance Program is a payer of last resort. All applicants shall seek assistance from other available sources prior to making application to the Military Family assistance program. Other available sources include, but are not limited to Army Emergency Relief, Air Force Aid Society , Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, Coast Guard Mutual Assistance, Salvation Army, American Red Cross, and Veterans Emergency Assistance. 

To apply for relief from the Military Family Assistance fund, eligible soldiers must submit a completed application to the fund administrator at the LA Attorney General's Office, Post Office Box 94005, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9005. Applications and instructions are available at all Veterans Affairs parish service offices and can be found online at www.ag.state.la.us <http://www.ag.state.la.us> , www.dss.state.la.us <http://www.dss.state.la.us> , www.vetaffairs.com <http://www.vetaffairs.com> , and www.la.ngb.army.mil <http://www.la.ngb.army.mil> . Immediate family members may apply on behalf of the soldier.

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