AFAF highlight: Air Force Enlisted Village

  • Published
  • By Sarah Olaciregui
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  Military members across the Air Force continue to "take care of their own" during the Air Force Assistance Fund campaign, running now through May 3.

By the end of the third week of fundraising, Airmen at Kadena Air Base, Japan, have raised $79,481.70 toward their goal of $118,534.

The AFAF raises funds for four charitable affiliates that provide support to the Air Force family. This week's charity spotlight is the Air Force Enlisted Village.

Air Force Enlisted Village
The Air Force Enlisted Village, formerly called the Air Force Enlisted Widows Home Foundation, was founded in 1967 after the Air Force Sergeant's Association conducted a survey and found that more than 50,000 widows of enlisted men were living in poverty.

As a result, a group of active duty and retired Air Force noncommissioned officers, assisted by former Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. and Mrs. John D. Ryan, founded an organization dedicated to providing financial assistance and housing to surviving spouses of retired Air Force enlisted members.

The foundation's primary mission is to provide financial assistance and housing to surviving spouses of Air Force enlisted members. Those spouses with the greatest need have priority, according to the foundation's website at www.afenlistedwidows.org.

The foundation helps active duty members, as well.

"Adult dependents -- typically parents of active-duty members or their spouses -- are eligible for permanent housing on a space-available basis," the website states.

The Air Force Enlisted Village consists of two separate living facilities. The first is Theresa Village, located in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. The second is Bob Hope Village, located in Shalimar, Fla. Both are only minutes from Eglin Air Force Base and Hurlburt Field.

The Theresa Village houses 103 two-bedroom first and second floor apartments, two one-bedroom first floor apartments and seven three-bedroom houses. The community enjoys a large village common area with washer and dryer facilities, community center, exercise room, pool, spa and nature trail, according to the website.

The Bob Hope village offers 224 one-bedroom apartments and 32 two-bedroom apartments. A few of the other highlights of the village include a chapel, community center, a welcome center and an outdoor garden and nature trail.

The Hawthorn House, located in Shalimar, Fla. on the Bob Hope Village campus, is an assisted living community providing a home to military widows, retirees and active duty dependents.

For more information, contact the Air Force Enlisted Village through their website at www.afenlistedwidows.org, via email at info@afev.us or by calling 1-800- 258-1413.

Contributions
The AFAF campaign also benefits the Air Force Aid Society, the Air Force Village Foundation and the General and Mrs. Curtis LeMay Foundation.

Kadena Air Base personnel who want to make a contribution to one or more of the charities can do so online by visiting the AFAF website, www.afassistancefund.org, and completing the form. Once completed, the form can be printed and turned in to a unit point of contact.

(Editor's note: Information from Kadena Air Base contributed to this article.)