AFAF donations encouraged

In today’s economy a return of 300 percent on your investment would be considered awesome by anybody’s standards.

That’s the type of return Cannon airmen received from last year’s Air Force Assistance Fund.

In 2009 Cannon contributed nearly $33,000 to the AFAF and received $127,000 in assistance from a program that was established to support the Air Force family of active duty, retirees, reservist, guard, dependents and surviving spouses.

This year’s campaign is down to its final two weeks and ends May 7. With more airmen here, the goal for Cannon is now $57,000. Each unit has assigned a keyworker to make contact with all assigned military and civilian personnel. You cannot donate online, but you can fill out the form, print it out, then sign and give it to your unit’s keyworkers. The donation forms, AF Forms 2561, are available at www.afassistancefund.org, according to Tech. Sgt Allen Merrit. Cash donations to the AFAF will be accepted, but a payroll deduction is preferred. Civilians can also donate.

Second Lt. Amanda Tamosuinas, Master Sgt. Robert Oman and Sgt. Allen Merritt are the Installation Project Officers for the 2010 campaign, which is the Air Force’s 36th annual.

The campaign supports the following AFAF charities:

• Air Force Aid Society

• Air Force Villages

• Air Force Enlisted Village

• General and Mrs. Curtis E. LeMay Foundation

These organizations help Air Force people with aid in an emergency, with educational needs, or to have a secure retirement home for widows or widowers of Air Force members in need of financial assistance. The Air Force Aid Society is the official charity of the Air Force. It is chartered to assist in relieving financial emergencies faced by active duty members and their families. It also assists Reserve and Guard personnel who are on extended active duty or face unique emergencies.

For information, visit www.afas.org.

Air Force Villages provides widows of career retired Air Force Officers with dignified, appropriate and cost effective living options. For more information, visit www.airforcevillages.com.

The Air Force Enlisted Village is a non-profit organization that provides a home to dire need enlisted widows, of the Air Force, Guard and Reserve. They also provide temporary housing and services to spouses of enlisted members who die while serving on active duty. They also provide adult dependents on a space-available basis emergency assistance and temporary housing during natural disasters.

For information, visit www.afenlistedwidows.org.

The General and Mrs. Curtis E. LeMay Foundation enables surviving spouses to continue living in their own homes and communities and not struggle to meet daily living needs. They help with monthly supplemental grants to assist with food, rent, utilities and healthcare.

For information, visit www.lemayfoundation.org.