AFAF runs through April 29

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Tammie Moore
  • National Air and Space Intelligence Center Public Affairs
The Air Force Assistance Fund drive is in full swing providing National Air and Space Intelligence Center staff the opportunity to aid Airmen and their families now through April 29.

The annual AFAF campaign, themed "Commitment to Caring," reiterates Airmen's heritage of taking care of one another, their families, retirees and surviving family members across the globe through a wide variety of programs which provide support ranging from financial assistance to care for military widows.

“The charitable affiliate organizations provide support in an emergency, with educational needs, or a secure retirement home for widows or widowers of our Air Force members in need of financial assistance,” according to the AFAF website.

The AFAF project officer at NASIC, Tech. Sgt. Andrew Stierwalt, has personally benefited from this program through one of its affiliated charities

“I found myself in situations where I had to ask the Air Force Aid Society for assistance twice in my career,” said the Geospatial and Signatures Intelligence Group Airman. “One time I received a 74 cent paycheck due to an undiscovered error in finance and the Air Force Aid Society was pivotal in ensuring I was able to feed my family and keep my utilities on. The other time had been after a long drawn out series of court cases where I had paid more than $10,000 in lawyer fees and they were able to help with groceries and fuel.”

AFAS provides Airmen and their families with worldwide emergency financial assistance, education assistance and base-level, community-enhancement programs. The assistance Stierwalt received from this program prevented him from turning to a payday loan to make ends meet.

“I was able to avoid placing myself in a poor financial situation by receiving interest-free loans and grants from the Air Force Aid Society instead of taking out loans that would have carried an 18-22 percent interest rate,” he said. “I truly believe these charities do good things for our people, and I strongly encourage everyone to consider donating at least a few dollars a month to help these great agencies continue to do what they do best: help Airmen take care of Airmen.”

More information about the AFAS is available at www.afas.org.  

The other three charities benefiting from the campaign are the Gen. and Mrs. Curtis E. LeMay Foundation, the Air Force Enlisted Village and the Air Force Villages Charitable Foundation.

- The Gen. and Mrs. Curtis E. LeMay Foundation helps widows of all Air Force retirees, officers and enlisted, through financial grants of assistance. For more information, visit the LeMay Foundation website at www.lemay-foundation.org.  

- The Air Force Enlisted Village was founded in 1967 and is located near Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The enlisted village provides a safe, secure and dignified home to indigent widows of retired Air Force enlisted members. For details, visit www.afenlistedwidows.org.  

- The Air Force Villages Charitable Foundation which provides retirement living with access to continuing health care for military officers who served honorably and their spouses at the Blue Skies of Texas. The foundation gives priority to retired Air Force officer widows and widowers in need of financial assistance. For more information, visit www.blueskiesoftexas.org.  

Donations are tax-deductible and can be made via cash, check, money order or payroll deduction. For more information about the AFAF, or to make a donation, visit www.afassistancefund.org/ or contact a NASIC AFAF representative.