AFAF campaign continues through May 6

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Sara Csurilla
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  Every year around this time Airmen are given an opportunity to take care of each other by donating to the Air Force Assistance Fund.

The campaign for the AFAF, held at Air Force bases around the world, was established as an annual effort to raise funds for charitable affiliates that provide benefits to active duty, Reserve, National Guard, and retired Airmen, as well as their spouses and families.

"This year, Kadena's campaign is scheduled to end May 6," said Maj. John Nolan, Team Kadena's AFAF project officer. "The wing's goal is to raise $114,396 by that date."

"The Air Force Assistance Fund gives us an opportunity to take care of each other," Major Nolan said. "That's something the Air Force and its people have always been good at."

The money contributed during AFAF campaigns go to Air Force Aid Society, Air Force Village Foundation, the General and Mrs. Curtis E. LeMay Foundation and the Air Force Enlisted Village.

Although the campaign has been going on for a few weeks, there's still ample time left to donate and Major Nolan said there will be a meeting held at the NCO Rocker Club Ballroom April 21 from 10 to 10:30 a.m. to "reinvigorate the masses."

The meeting will educate Airmen about the AFAF and the different ways Team Kadena can contribute to the campaign.

The program most Airmen and their families may be more familiar with is the Air Force Aid Society which offers grants and short-notice financial aid to those in need as well as supporting base programs such as "Give Parents a Break."

The AFAS is the official charity of the Air Force intended to help Air Force members and their families in need. Contributions from this charity assist a number of programs supporting Airmen and their families.

"Air Force personnel should donate because the AFAF is a fundraiser for Air Force personnel that will benefit Air Force personnel," said Tech. Sgt. Paiea Suganuma, 18th Mission Support Group AFAF representative. "Just last year alone Kadena raised over $100,000 and received over $245,000 in financial assistance to Air Force personnel."

People can voluntarily contribute through cash, check, money order or payroll deduction to any of the following four organizations:

-- The Air Force Aid Society, which provides Airmen and their families with worldwide emergency financial assistance, education assistance, and an array of base-level, community-enhancement programs. Base Airman and Family Readiness Flights have full details on programs and eligibility requirements. Information is also available online at http://www.afas.org/.

-- The Air Force Enlisted Village, near Eglin AFB, Fla., which was founded in 1967 to provide a safe, secure, and dignified place for indigent widows of retired Air Force enlisted members. More information is available at http://www.afenlistedwidows.org.

-- The Air Force Village, in San Antonio, which provides retirement living, with access to continuing health care, for military officers who served honorably and their spouses, with priority to retired Air Force officer widows and widowers in need of financial assistance. The Air Force Village Web site is http://www.airforcevillages.com.

-- The General and Mrs. Curtis E. LeMay Foundation, which helps widows of all Air Force retirees, both officers and enlisted, through financial grants of assistance. The LeMay Foundation Web site is http://www.lemayfoundation.org/.

"Kadena members can contact their squadron representative or group representative to donate," Major Nolan said.

AFAF charitable organizations receive 100 percent of all designated contributions, and contributions are tax-deductible. For more information, visit http://www.afassistancefund.org/ or call 632-8011.