Challenge 22 Events… Raising Funds and Awareness to End Suicide

It is PROJECT: VetRelief’s goal to raise awareness about the staggering statistic on veteran suicide through various Challenge 22 events. Whether it’s a ruck walk, educational seminar or speaking engagement, there’s no shortage of opportunities to alert our communities on this serious issue our veterans are facing. These Challenge 22 events are designed to encompass fundraising, create awareness and educate our communities on the importance of mental health within our veteran communities and understanding the severity of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Over the past couple of years, we have had several Posts host events to further our mission and join our efforts to put an end to veteran suicide. in fact, a check for $30,350 was presented to the Suicide Prevention Initiative (SPI) earlier this month from various Challenge 22 events, including contributions from Post 63, Post 243, Post 22, and Post 110. Kudos to Board Member Kurt Gies and their team for a successful Challenge 22 event, even with overcoming new obstacles pertaining to the virus! Our hope is to have at least 12 Challenge 22 events this calendar year to promote the mission of SPI, and since next year will be 2022, we are shooting for 22 events! Take a look at the upcoming opportunities we have coming up for you to make your impact on ending veteran suicides.

Emergency Assistance Cases Still Continue to Climb

PROJECT: VetRelief continues to be in high demand, which means we are helping more and more of Florida’s veterans each year.

When the coronavirus pandemic hit in March 2020, PROJECT: VetRelief was able to take action and provide life-saving assistance to our service members by keeping a roof over their head, lights turned on, or food on the table. In fact, we have been able to help 169 veterans and their families avoid an eviction so that they could focus on staying healthy during this deadly pandemic!

Truth is, since COVID-19 our funding has gone out a lot faster than it has come in. We will not be able to continue this level of support without your help!

The American Legion, Department of Florida Commander, William ‘Rick’ Johnson has recognized the true impact the emergency assistance program has on our veteran community and chose to extend his efforts to support the
program.

We hope that you will participate in his Challenge to the Legion Family and help him raise $225,000 by the end of June. He‘s almost there, as he only needs $8,510.67 more!

Donations can be made online (www.projectvetrelief.org/donate), mailed into the Department Headquarters, or given through the Commander’s Charity.

Our veterans are counting on us working together to be there for them!

The Challenge is On… Will the Commander Sing Karaoke?

Commander Johnson is issuing a challenge to all American Legion Posts to see who can raise the most funds between now and the District Constitutional Conferences in the spring.

He is certain that the entire Legion Family can step up and provide the necessary funding the program needs to continue to support veterans through the coronavirus pandemic. In fact, he is so confident that he set a goal to raise $30,000 for PROJECT: VetRelief by April 30, 2021. 

Every American Legion Post is encouraged to raise a minimum of
$100 and the Post that raises the most funds will receive celebrity
treatment during our next Annual Department Convention, hopefully in June 2021!

As a bonus, if we are able to reach or surpass his goal of $30,000,
Commander Johnson will take the stage at Convention in costume and sing karaoke. We know you’d like to see Commander Johnson belt out his favorite patriotic tune!

Remember, Commander Johnson chose PROJECT: VetRelief as one of his charities of choice. All efforts raised through this Challenge will also count towards his Commander’s Charity goal of $225,000.

Although this is all fun and games, the bottom line is… Florida’s veterans need you to help them through their difficult times – and we know that Florida’s American Legion Family can rise up to
any challenge and be that support for our veterans and their families!

CHALLENGE DETAILS

GOAL: $30,000 by April 20, 2021
Objective: Raise a minimum of $100 per Post. Highest fundraising Post will receive celebrity treatment at Convention in June.

Top Fundraising Post will receive:

• Complimentary room nights at Department Convention in June
• Table at Commander’s Banquet
• Red Carpet walk and introduction during General Session
• Preferred seating during General Session
• Receive inaugural PROJECT: VetRelief Trophy

Posts who raise the $100 minimum
will receive a commemorative plaque to
display at the Post.

Upcoming Fundraising Events – Mark Your Calendars

Exciting News! Our calendar is starting to book up again with a variety of fundraising activities to raise funds for both our
Emergency Assistance and Suicide Prevention programs. We are grateful to our Legion Family for doing what they can to support PROJECT: VetRelief, even through a pandemic!

If you are hosting an event, we want to hear about it so we can help promote it! Please contact Jennifer Cooper at 407-295-2631 or
jcooper@floridalegion.org with the details.

COMMANDER JOHNSON IS CHALLENGING YOU…WILL YOU ACCEPT?

As you may be aware, Commander William ‘Rick’ Johnson chose PROJECT: VetRelief as one of his charities of choice for the second year in a row! We have a long way to go in order to surpass last year’s efforts of raising over $116,000. Additionally, the Commander heard that the Legion Family from Post 359 will be holding their month-long fundraiser in January.

With that, Commander Johnson is issuing a challenge to all American Legion Posts to see who can raise the most funds between now and the District Constitutional Conferences in the spring.

He is certain that the entire Legion Family can step up and provide the necessary funding the program needs to continue to support veterans through the coronavirus pandemic. In fact, he is
so confident that he set a goal to raise $30,000 for PROJECT: VetRelief by April 30, 2021.

Every American Legion Post is encouraged to raise a minimum of $100 and the Post that raises the most funds will receive celebrity treatment during our next Annual Department Convention, hopefully in June 2021!

As a bonus, if we are able to reach or surpass his goal of $30,000, Commander Johnson will take the stage at Convention in costume and sing karaoke. We know you’d like to see Commander Johnson belt out his favorite patriotic tune!

Although this is all fun and games, the bottom line is… Florida’s veterans need you to help them through their difficult times – and we know that Florida’s American Legion Family can rise up to any challenge and be that support for our veterans and their families!

INCREASED VETERAN SUPPORT = MORE FUNDING

PROJECT: VetRelief continues to be in high demand, which allows us to help more and more of Florida’s veterans each year. As you can see in the chart below, we have more than DOUBLED our total number of approved cases during the first 4 months of this fiscal year! 

When the coronavirus pandemic hit in March 2020, PROJECT: VetRelief was able to take action and provide life-saving assistance to our service members by keeping a roof over their head, lights turned on, or food on the table. In fact, we have been able to help 147 veterans and their families avoid an eviction so that they could focus on staying healthy during this deadly pandemic! 

Truth is, since COVID-19 our funding has gone out a lot faster than it has come in. We will not be able to continue this level of support without your help! 

Would you be willing to make a special tax-deductible year-end donation of $25, $50, $100 or whatever you can afford to help us support these service members through their difficult times?

Donations can be made online (www.projectvetrelief.org/donate), mailed into the Department Headquarters, or given through the Commander’s Charity.

HELP US RAISE AWARENESS FOR VETERAN SUICIDE

VIRTUAL CLASS

PROJECT: VetRelief is please to offer an online Advocate Training course on Thursday, November 5, 2020 at 10:00AM. The class will be held via Zoom and led by the PROJECT: VetRelief Team.

Please help us share this information with anyone who might be interested in learning about PROJECT: VetRelief or becoming an Advocate within your Post. REMEMBER: ANY Legion Family Member may attend (this includes Auxiliary and SAL members).

To attend, you must pre-register, no later than Wednesday, November 4th. The course has limited availability, and attendance is FREE of charge. Please note, attendees will need to have a Zoom account to attend the webinar.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Click the button below to get registered today!

Register

COVID-19 CASES CONTINUE TO RISE

Since the end of March, PROJECT: VetRelief has seen a tremendous increase of financial assistance cases for veterans and their families due to the coronavirus pandemic.

PROJECT: VetRelief has provided support to 210 veterans who experienced temporary or permanent layoffs due to the coronavirus by giving out $167,305.03. 

Check out the table above, as it breaks down what type of assistance has been given out to these veterans who need our help. 

It is very apparent that our veteran community still needs us to get them through these difficult times! However, our funding is quickly going away and many of our fundraising events have been canceled in order to remain compliant to safety orders from local and state governments. 

Our program will not be able to keep up with the necessary demand of providing support if we do not secure future funding! 

Now, more than ever, we are relying on the entire Legion Family to do what they can to support our program. Whether you are able to hold a socially-distanced fundraiser or make a personal donation, it will take us all working together to provide the help our veterans need!

Donate

GOLF TOURNAMENT CRUCIAL FOR FUTURE OF PROGRAM

Our largest fundraising event for PROJECT: VetRelief, the Annual Golf Tournament hosted by RL James, Inc., is scheduled for Monday, September 21st. Without this event, it would cause a huge financial strain to our Emergency Assistance Program!

Additionally, the Silent Auction will be featured online. Therefore, you do not have to be present to participate and anyone can bid on these items. Featured items include: Yeti Cooler, Garmin GPS Golf Watch, Ring Doorbell, Hunting Trip, and much more!

BOARD MEETS DESPITE VIRUS

SUPPORT PROJECT:VETRELIEF THROUGH THE COMMANDER’S CHARITY

The Coronavirus pandemic has brought on some unique changes to the American Legion, Department of Florida, including our first ever two-term Department Commander. Congratulations to William “Rick” Johnson on being the Department Commander again for 2020-2021!

COVID-19 CAUSED A SPIKE IN CASES

Since the end of March, PROJECT: VetRelief has seen a tremendous increase of financial assistance cases for veterans and their families due to the coronavirus pandemic. Businesses were forced to shut their doors resulting in many people losing their jobs, both permanently and temporarily.

GOLF TOURNAMENT IS STILL ON

On Monday, September 21st at approximately 8:30AM, the shotgun for the 7th Annual Golf Tournament hosted by RL James, Inc. will still go off despite the coronavirus pandemic. The tournament is PROJECT: VetRelief’s largest fundraising event and would be a huge financial strain if it were cancelled!

Golfers will enjoy a premier experience at the Bella Collina Golf Course, located in Monteverde, FL and should expect a day filled with fun and many chances to win some cool prizes while staying safe.

During the awards banquet and luncheon, there will be a silent auction and a tasty buffet equipped with delicious BBQ.

There are opportunities to join in on this exciting event. If you are interested, please contact Jennifer Cooper at 407-295-2631 to reserve your spot or foursome today! There are also a few volunteer positions available, if you’d like to come and help out. Hope to see you there!

Click here for event details

CHAPTER 152 RAISES OVER $10,000 FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION

By Bob & Bonnie Lehmiller

As the COVID-19 pandemic caused businesses to close, many Americans out of work, donations to dry up, and fundraising events were cancelled or altered, Florida American Legion Riders Chapter 152 was adamant they would still make an impact during the Virtual Unity Ride. They were initially faced with several questions: How do they spread the word for the cause? How do they raise funds? And how do they find more donations?

Chapter members began conversations and focused on thinking outside the box. The first $1,200 quickly originated from an idea created on a Friday night from Bob & Bonnie Lehmiller’s hot tub. They challenged members to match their initial donation of $100. From there, they decided to set the team’s fundraising goal to $5,000.

The Chapter quickly organized drive-thru dinners in the American Legion parking lot, donated when riding the 22-miles, challenged each other with matching funds, and had 50/50 drawings. They were so successful that they expanded their drive-thru dinners and challenged other Chapters within the District to raise $500 for them to match.

A surprise donation of $2,600 spurred them on to increasing their goal to $10,000. They worked every angle they could to reach their new goal and every member pitched in to help. They are so thankful and proud of their donors and members for making Chapter 152 the top fundraising group and putting District 15 on top along the way! Best of all, they managed to do this all in their first year of being American Legion Riders Chapter!

YEAR-END REPORT

Board President, Bob James, and Executive Co-Director, Jennifer Cooper, give a brief overview of the program’s accomplishments for the past year for The American Legion, Department of Florida’s OPERATION: 6 Feet Apart Virtual Awards Ceremony.

Still Feeling the Impact of COVID -19

As expected, May was another big month for financial assistance and providing emergency support to our veterans and their families during the coronavirus. Thankfully, our program has been able to accommodate to the immediate demand and assisted over 90 veterans who were unable to work due to the virus.

However, we will not be able to sustain this level of support for much longer. The program has already surpassed the amount of funding provided in 10 months than what we gave out the entire year last year.

Our veterans need us! And, PROJECT: VetRelief need YOU!

Now, more than ever, we need the support of the Legion Family to help us continue our mission of providing assistance to our service members in their time of need!

Remember – Commander Rick Johnson chose PROJECT: VetRelief as one of his charities. If your Post was planning to make a donation at the Department Convention, you can send it into Headquarters and contribute to his efforts.

We want to keep providing our services to veterans, active duty military and their families for years to come. In order to do that, we need everyone’s continued support. Please remember we are veterans serving veterans, every day.

The PROJECT: VetRelief Team has continued to support veterans through the coronavirus. Our Case Workers processed our highest-record number of cases. We partnered with SOF Missions to create COVID Care Kits for our veterans. As our state becomes more open, we need more fundraising events to fill the gap of funding needed due to the demand of this pandemic! Funds are needed to provide the necessary help our veterans need, even during these uncertain times.

Florida Legion Riders – Reached Their Goal!

The coronavirus, or COVID-19, did not stop the Florida American Legion Riders from raising awareness and much needed funds to end veteran suicide. The annual Unity Ride was scheduled to kick off Sunday, April 26th for a week-long journey through the entire state of Florida. However due to the current pandemic, Riders Chairman, Jim Wineland, was forced to take the ride VIRTUALLY.

All participants were asked to create a fundraising page to share with their friends and family to collect donations. The more funds they raised, the more prizes they earned.

Despite having to alter the annual Unity Ride event details, the Legion Riders took on the challenge and collectively raised over $55,000 for our Suicide Prevention Initiative! The Virtual Ride also saw an increased participation of Legion Family Districts, as more people were able to get out and ride the 22-miles. Riders were
also encouraged to share photos of their Rides on their social media accounts using #iRideforthe22.

Congratulations to Board Member and Florida Legion Riders Chairman Jim Wineland, Florida Legion Riders Adjutant Beverly Wooten and the entire Legion Riders Family for all their hard work to raise to End Veteran Suicide! We are overwhelmed with joy on how you all stepped up and didn’t let the pandemic get in your way of supporting our veterans in their time of need.

FLORIDA LEGION RIDERS · NOW RIDING VIRTUALLY TO #ENDVETERANSUICIDE

The coronavirus, or COVID-19, is not going to stop the Florida American Legion Riders from raising awareness and much needed funds to end veteran suicide. The annual Unity Ride was scheduled to kick off Sunday, April 26th for a week-long journey through the entire state of Florida. However due to the current pandemic, Riders
Chairman, Jim Wineland, was forced to take the ride VIRTUALLY.

This was not an easy decision, as this event is something the Riders look forward to every year. However, they are doing their best to accommodate and support PROJECT: VetRelief’s Suicide Prevention Initiative (SPI) in these uncertain times. Their goal is to still raise $50,000 for the program.

What does a VIRTUAL event mean? Riders are encouraged to still ride, but only individually. They have been challenged to ride 22 miles for the 22 veterans who take their lives every day sometime before May 22nd. Once they complete their ride, they are asked to document on their social media accounts with a photo and using
#iRideforthe22. Every registration, dollar raised, and photos posted using the hashtag will give their District points towards the coveted District Trophy.

Additionally, all participants have been asked to create a fundraising page to share with their friends and family to collect donations. The more funds they raise, the more prizes they earn.

Join the Florida Legion Riders and make an impact on Florida’s veteran community and help save lives! You can either sign up to participate in the virtual event or make a donation to their campaign.

REGISTER OR DONATE HERE: https://give.floridalegion.org

SUPPORTING VETERANS THROUGH COVID-19

As many organizations are being forced to close their doors, our veterans are unable to work and provide an income to support their families. PROJECT: VetRelief has teamed up with the Florida Veterans Foundation to support those who are affected by this pandemic. We have been able to fund over 50 cases for April alone,
which is three-times our monthly average. We are expecting May and June to be very similar.

The application process has been adjusted to assist veterans who are experiencing loss of income due to the virus. A new condensed form was created and additional documentation is required to show proof of loss in income. Funds at the present time are covering shelter and food expenses only.

HOW YOU CAN HELP: PROJECT: VetRelief and the Florida Veterans Foundation are counting on individuals and corporations to help us meet this increased demand. Please donate so that together we can assist all those who need our support.

DONATION LINK: http://www.helpflvets.org/covid-19-support/

HOW TO SUBMIT: Please send the application, DD-214 (member 4 copy), proof of temporary/permanent layoff due to coronavirus, and the bill for which you are requesting assistance to: or by fax (407) 299-0901. For the safety of our staff and volunteers, our office is closed to outside visitors. Therefore, we will not take any
walk-in appointments or applications that are hand-delivered.

Supporting Veterans Through COVID-19

The coronoavirus, COVID-19, is impacting Florida’s veterans, active duty military members and their families. As many organizations are being forced to close their doors, our veterans are unable to work and provide an income to support their families.

PROJECT: VetRelief is teaming up with the Florida Veterans Foundation to support those who are affected by this pandemic. We are anticipating that we will be see a substantial increase in the number of applications requesting assistance over the next
few months. Both programs are privately funded and are not equipped to fund the expected demand of our veteran community.

Please find it in your heart to donate so that we can make a greater impact and support all service members who need us during this chaotic time.

Existing Guidelines:

• Veteran, Active Duty Military, or Immediate Family Member (Spouse, Legal Guardian, or Child)
• Acceptable Discharges: Honorable or General Under Honorable Conditions
• Florida Resident for minimum of 120 Days
• Show Sustainability – balance of income and expenses
• Experiencing an unforeseeable emergency
• Provided for necessities: shelter, utilities, food (in the form of a gift card), and some transportation and medical expenses
• Funds are granted one-time annually per household

Additional process for COVID-19:

• Applicants who are experiencing loss of income must show proof via pay stubs or letter from employer.
• Phone interview with local VetRelief Advocate will be accepted.
• To avoid depletion of funds, a monthly financial cap will be put in place.

HOW TO SUBMIT:
Please send the application, DD-214 (member 4 copy), proof of temporary/permanent layoff due to coronavirus, and the bill for which you are requesting assistance to: aid@legionmail.org or by fax (407) 299-0901.

For the safety of our staff and volunteers, our office is closed to outside visitors. Therefore, we will not take any walk-in appointments or applications that are hand-delivered.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

PROJECT: VetRelief has partnered with the Florida Veterans Foundation on raising funds to accommodate the increased needs of our veteran community. Please donate so that together we can assist all those who need our support.

DONATION LINK: http://www.helpflvets.org/covid-19-support/