The Virginia Veterans Foundation has announced the recipients of their first-ever grants for Post home improvement and community service grants. A total of 12 grants were issued to both Posts and Auxiliaries totaling nearly $6,000 in support. Funded as part of the multi-year sponsorship from Powerhouse Gaming, the exclusive electronic pull-tab of the Virginia State HQs, the grants will go to support all that the VFW does.

"We could not be happier to see this program come to be and we could not do it without the great partnership we have with Powerhouse Gaming” said foundation chairman and Past Commander-in-Chief John Smart. "We have some amazing community service projects and some needed improvements to Post homes which may otherwise not happen or may just happen in a smaller way but this ensures maximum success” John added.

Powerhouse Gaming’s sponsorship is a three year commitment to all that the VFW does. This includes Service Officer work, marketing for membership, these grants, and much more. Powerhouse has even helped one Post and Auxiliary find a new home which is something no other corporate partner has ever done.

The grant program consisted of six grants for Post home improvement and 12 grants for community service. Because of a smaller number of applications were received, the ability to make some of the grants larger was an option that the foundation took as an opportunity. "Voting to increase some of the grants may be the easiest motion ever made and passed” John Smart said. "We had the ability to invest more into the VFW and our Auxiliary and we decided to take it”.

The Virginia Veterans Foundation is the official 501(c)3 foundation for the VFW Department of Virginia and only supports the operations of the VFW and our Auxiliary. In the 2018-2019 VFW year, the foundation supported numerous VFW programs including a $10,000 grant to fund two-thirds of the emergency financial assistance given to members of the U.S. Coast Guard by the Virginia VFW when they did not get paid during a partial government shutdown. Thanks to the support of Powerhouse Gaming, the foundation will be able to nearly triple its support by add new programs including a standing grant to the VFW Auxiliary Department HQs for its operations.

POST HOME IMPROVEMENT GRANTS

Post 622

Post 3103

Post 3150

Post 7059

Post 8252

Post 9954

COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANTS

Post 12145

Post 9954

Post 3103

Auxiliary 8046

Auxiliary 8644