TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- With one week remaining in Tinker’s annual Air Force Assistance Fund campaign, the project officers are gearing up for a mad rush toward the goal.
It won’t be easy, but Maj. Allen Chan and Master Sgt. Daniel Hill are going to do their best to get closer to Tinker’s goal of $64,764. The two recently sat down with Tinker Talks to discuss the campaign that ends April 30.
“The Air Force Assistance Fund is one of the only authorized fundraisers in the Air Force where we can solicit from other Airmen and retirees to help other Airmen and their families,” said Chan, who is with the 72nd Dental Clinic.
Hill, from the 552nd Air Network Control Squadron, said a lot of people confuse the AFAF with the Combined Federal Campaign.
“The CFC is awesome,” he said, “but what differentiates the AFAF from CFC is when you donate to the Air Force Assistance Fund that money goes back into only military, retirees and their families. [AFAF] impacts the military and their families more directly.”
Four affiliate charities benefit from the contributions that are given to the AFAF each year.
* Air Force Enlisted Village: It provides a “safe, dignified and caring community” to the widows of enlisted Air Force members.
* LeMay Foundation: It provides grants to the surviving spouses of enlisted and officer retirees.
* Air Force Villages Charitable Foundation: It provides surviving spouses a safe and comfortably modest lifestyle with access to long-term health care.
* Air Force Aid Society: It helps Airmen and their families with unexpected or everyday expenses.
Gia Easley from the Airman and Family Readiness Center said the AFAS helps Airmen in a number of ways.
“What they consider an emergency situation is when someone needs assistance with rent, mortgage, utilities or food,” she said. Emergency travel, car repair and car payments also all make the list.
Families affected by the coronavirus pandemic also benefitted from AFAS assistance.
“Air Force Aid assisted families with what they called a ‘virtual school grant’ and each family received $250 to assist their children to purchase what they needed to be homeschooled,” Easley said.
Anyone needing to apply for Air Force aid can visit www.afas.org or call the Airman and Family Readiness Center at 739-2747 for details.
Military members, retirees and civilians can donate to the AFAF.
“It’s never been easier to donate,” Hill said. “There are QR codes all over the place and there is an online secure giving straight off the AFAF website.”
Chan said there is one more way to give.
“Text AFAF to 50155 and it will take you straight to the website,” he said.
Though Tinker’s AFAF drive ends on April 30, donations are accepted year-round.
For more information about the AFAF or to contribute, visit https://www.afassistancefund.org/.