Monthly Blog

Veterans and Family Support Mar 25

Monica Jones 769-299-8133 email

UNITING TO COMBAT HUNGER & HOMELESSNESS (UTCH) GRANT


In 2018 the VFW joined forces with Humana to establish the Uniting to Combat Hunger (UTCH) campaign. As of October 2024, the initiative has raised the equivalent of more than 5.6 million meals to address food insecurity in America. This year we are excited to expand the program in support of an additional underserved veteran population: Veterans experiencing homelessness. The ‘H’ in UTCH also now stands for homelessness, as we seek to provide a new means of support for homeless veterans. To reward the efforts of VFW Posts and Auxiliaries supporting the campaign, the VFW Foundation (VFWF) offers the UTCH Grant.

Join us in our fight against food insecurity and homelessness. The Uniting to Combat Hunger & Homelessness (UTCH) Grant is a matching grant of up to $1,500 available to VFW Posts and Auxiliaries for monetary and food donations to local food banks, pantries and homeless shelters in their communities.

For more details on the UTCH Grant or to apply, visit vfwfoundation.org/Grants.

For more information about UTCH, please contact the VFW Foundation at 

Americanism March 2025

Dawn Lawson 601-274-6407 email report form

This month we Honor and Remember our Veterans in 2 very important dates:
Medal of Honor (3/25) and
National Vietnam War Veterans
Day (3/29)

Please take the time to thank a Veteran and their family for their sacrifices. Please always Honor them – even the small gestures count: a cup of coffee & chat, buy a meal, take a meal to them, run errands, take to appointments, or even a card.
They’ve given us so much – it’s pay back time. Step Up!!

Youth March 2025

Beth Crow 662-522-9481 email report form

Hi everyone. Spring is just around the corner. Everyone should be keeping in touch with their contacts for the Illustrating America Contest. The deadline for the art to be submitted is March 31. After your Auxiliary chooses your winners, your submissions must be turned into the Department by April 15. They are due at National Headquarters by May 5. We have a very tight schedule so please submit your entries in a timely manner. Remember there are three categories, K-2, 3-5, and 6-8. You may submit one entry per category to the Department for judging.

Spring offers all manner of opportunities to work with youth groups. We have St. Patrick’s Day in March, Easter coming up in April and Memorial Day in May. A great opportunity to work with our youth is to observe Dr. Suess Day on March 2. Why not read a Dr. Suess book to a class or group of children. You could even dress the part, like the Cat in the Hat, or have breakfast with Green Eggs and Ham. Please make an effort to include children in your Memorial Day observance. We need to teach them the importance of the sacrifices made so they can live in freedom.

I look forward to receiving all of your entries for Illustrating America. Contact me for my address and please make sure you package them well so that they are not damaged in transport. Be sure to mark the packages as Fragile, Art Work. We are having issues with USPS packages for our area getting stuck in Jackson, sometimes for weeks. Please mail your packages with tracking numbers and mail them as many days ahead of the deadline as you can. Also please shoot me an email or text that something is on its way so I can be on the lookout for it. Thanks for all of your help.

Historian March 25

Lisa Thompson 662-586-8870 email report form

March 31st Historian and Media Relations Award – Judging Due 

As you ponder the entries for these events 

There are important deadlines coming up also

March 31 – Illustrating America

March 31 – Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest

March 31 – 3-Dimensional Patriotic Art Contest

April 30 – The VFW’s “Sport Clips Help A Hero” Scholarshipthere is another deadline approaching
The Historian and Media Relations AwardYes it is a real thing!! Who hit the markWho deserves the award
On March 31st your entries for the “Best Historian and Media Relations” Auxiliary are due for judgingthink about who hit all the platformsC of A presentationsFacebook and InstagramLocal NewspaperLocal TVBrochuresQR CodesHashtagsScrapbooksWhen submitting use the form attachedmust includeVFW Auxiliary NameVFW Auxiliary NumberDepartment NameDescribe the training or education promoting the VFW Auxiliary Programs to the community thruthe media resources listed above (flyers, brochures,social media posts, newsletterse-newsletters, photos and videos
Awards for Auxiliaries

Most outstanding promotion of the VFW Auxiliary Programs to the community through social media resources

Citations and $25 to one VFW Auxiliary in each of the 11 Program Divisions with the most

outstanding promotion of the VFW Auxiliary Programs to the community through all social media platforms

Citations will be mailed directly to the winning VFW Auxiliaries from National Headquarters and money will be

deposited into the winning VFW Auxiliary account after the 2025 VFW National Convention in Columbus Ohio

Youth Feb 25

Beth Crow 662-522-9481 email

Happy Valentines Day to everyone. The Youth Program is moving right along. Did you know that Valentines Week is also National Salute to Veteran Patients Week? Get your schools and youth groups involved in making Valentines for our veterans that are hospitalized or confined to a nursing home. The veterans would love a handmade valentine from one of the kids.

As promised, the winners of our coloring contest were announced at Mid-Winter Conference. The winner of the K-2nd grade group is Derrick, from Johnson Elementary School in Jackson. Derrick is sponsored by Brooks W. Stewart Auxiliary Post 9832. The winner of the 3rd-5th grade group is Kaylee, from Hawking Elementary in Hattisburg. Kaylee is sponsored by Saint James Wright Auxiliary Post 5397. They were each awarded an Art Set and $10.00 to spend as they wish.

I hope all of you have your Illustrating America Contest underway and are keeping in contact with your schools and youth groups about the deadlines. The deadline for the art to be turned into the Auxiliaries is March 31. The Auxiliary winners must be sent to Department by April 15.

.

Make sure you print new forms as there are changes to the rules.

The SWAP this month is from Brooks W. Stewart Auxiliary Post 9832 in Jackson. This is the second year that the Auxiliary and Post are jointly sponsoring the Heart Over the Hammer Event. This event targets teens and young adults, providing them with tools and resources to cope with the challenges of today’s society. The event offers health screenings, mental health counseling, career counseling, and much more. The goal is to provide our youth outlets and solutions before they encounter difficulties, by creating a meaningful exchange of thoughts and ideas between the generations. Heart Over the Hammer is scheduled for March 8, 2025, 10:00am-2:00pm at Brooks W. Stewart VFW Post 9832.

I love sharing SWAPS with you. Please email me details about your youth events so I can share them with Auxiliaries across the state. My email is . Thanks for all of your hard work.

Scholarships Feb 25

Lanell Thornton (662)549-2856 email

The Love Boat . . .

Art – exciting and new,

Come aboard, we’re expecting you!

Love is in the air and so are the Patriotic Art Contests!

Yes, I got a little cheesy with the title this month, and I would LOVE to see those entries coming in for the Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest and the 3-Dimensional Patriotic Art Contest. There are so many talented youngsters in our neighborhoods, churches, schools, and youth organizations, just waiting to shine their talents on us.

Get out and share the information with our youth in grades 9-12 about these two contests. Be sure to remind them to read ALL of the information regarding the entries so they are aware of what they are required to do for their submissions. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there have been so many wonderful entries that were disqualified because of failure to read and follow the rules of the contests. If you are a Facebook user, I encourage you to join the National VFW Auxiliary page and look for the individual department entries that have been entered into the National spotlight. The winners will be announced and displayed at the National Convention in Columbus, OH, August 9-14, 2025.

The Continuing Education Scholarship, available for VFW Auxiliary members and their immediate family members, is fast approaching its deadline of February 15. The auxiliary member must have been a member for at least 1 year. Only their immediate family members (self, spouse, and children) are eligible to apply. Four (4) recipients are chosen each year by the National VFW Auxiliary. Each of these recipients represents the four conferences in the VFW and its Auxiliary: Big 10, Southern, Western, and Eastern. The award amount is $1250 and is paid directly to the university, college, or trade school of the recipient’s choice.

Just a friendly reminder of future deadlines:

· February 15, 2025 – Continuing Education Scholarship for VFW Auxiliary members and immediate family (spouse and children)

· March 31, 2025 – Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest (grades 9-12)

· March 31, 2025 – 3-Dimensional Patriotic Art Contest (grades 9-1

Historian Feb 25

Lisa Thompson 662-586-8870 email

Your Auxiliary, District, or Department website should be informative for 

both members and those interested in becoming members of the VFW Auxiliary

Make sure to include

1) A “Join Us” or “Become a Member” Menu Item or Button on the Home Page 

it is important for potential members to know how they can join the VFW Auxiliary

2) Contact Information – State your Auxiliary District or Department 

their address phone number and email address so members and potential members can reach you easily 

3) the “About Us” tab – Sharing information about your Auxiliary District or Department 

a) When the Auxiliary District or Department was charted

b) A list of Officers 

c) Your Auxiliary District or Department involvement within the community

4) Information about VFW Auxiliary Programs 

a)Share information about the programs the VFW Auxiliary offers 

b) Provide examples of how your Auxiliary District or Department is involved in each program or link to the respective Program Page 

on the National Organizations website 

5) Calendar of Events 

a) you want your members to be active in your Auxiliary

b) Make sure members can easily find information about upcoming meetings and events 

6) Resources – Links to other sites

a) VFW Auxiliary National Organization

b) VFW National Organization

c) VFW Store

d) VFW National Home for Children

e) Military & Veteran Family Helpline

Be sure to include links to your Auxiliary,District or Department’s Facebook page or other social media 

To insure a proper website I prefer checking out these website web builders

A) Google Sites

B) Go Daddy – Go Daddy

C) WIX – WIX

It’s February y’all – let’s put a little LOVE into it too

Don’t forget the Who What When Where and Why

♥️

Auxiliary Outreach Feb 25

Michele Brinson 901-734-8160 email

First, I want to say “thank you” to all of the auxiliaries who have been reporting their volunteer activities and hours spent with other organizations in our communities. To date, we have had a total of 36 reports from 19 auxiliaries, totaling 384 members and 1,323.50 hours. I want to recognize the following auxiliaries who have submitted reports: 2434, 3036, 3253, 3373, 3806, 3962, 4100, 4272, 4934, 4970, 5393, 5395, 5397, 6731, 7531, 9832, 12124, 12216, and 12192. In addition, I want to recognize three auxiliaries and share with you what they have been doing:

  • Auxiliary 6731: To date, they have had 4 members volunteer a total of 120
    hours with the Friends of the Jackson County Animal Shelter and with Jackson
    County Animal Rescue.
  • Auxiliary 9832: To date, they have had 80 members volunteer a total of 240
    hours with Grace Place.
  • Auxiliary 5397: To date, they have had 69 members volunteer a total of 350
    hours with Twin Forks Rising CDC, Shady Grove Church, Kappa, Girl Scout
    Troop 3884, and with Hawkins Elementary School.
    I feel certain all of you are doing Auxiliary Outreach and just want to remind you
    that there is still time to get your volunteer activities approved, reported, and
    counted.
    Remember the Steps to a Successful Auxiliary Outreach Project are:
  • Vote and approve a motion to provide assistance and partner with other
    organizations in your community in your meeting and record that approval in your meeting minutes. Approval should occur prior to the outreach activity except on rare occasions such as a natural disaster or emergency. You can do this where it covers all activities/partnerships for the entire year or prior to each activity/partnership as they occur.
  • Partner with organizations that could use assistance.
  • At least one Auxiliary member must participate in order to be counted as auxiliary outreach, and projects may be done by only the Auxiliary or together with the VFW Post.
  • Wear VFW Auxiliary attire while participating (shirt, hat, name badge, lanyard, etc.).
  • Take pictures of all the amazing things you are doing in your communities and share with other auxiliaries, your Department Historian, National Headquarters, and with me.
  • Count all volunteer hours (but not monetary donations).
  • Share information about the VFW Auxiliary; i.e., what we do, why we do it, how
    someone can become a member, etc.
    Now, Let’s Take Another Look At What’s Considered Auxiliary Outreach:
  • Projects that are not affiliated with the VFW or VFW Auxiliary.
  • Volunteering your time/hours collecting needed items.
  • Participating in walks that benefit other organizations by being an event spotter, water station volunteer, timekeeper, etc. (Note: Does not include walking in the event or sponsoring someone who walks in the event).
  • Partnering with law enforcement personnel with child ID kits, bicycle safety
    training, collecting stuffed animals, etc.
  • Partnering with firefighters with fire safety and prevention training, passing out smoke detectors.
  • Partnering with EMTs by helping with CPR training.
  • Partnering with Senior Citizens Centers by teaching a basic computer class,
    playing bingo, doing arts and crafts, etc.
  • Partnering with parks and recreation departments or garden clubs by adopting a park, planting trees, cleaning up; etc.
  • Partnering with animal shelters by cleaning kennels, walking animals, collecting bedding, cleaning supplies, food, leashes, etc.
  • Partnering with homeless shelters by serving food, cleaning up, etc.
  • Partnering with food pantries/banks or Meals on Wheels, stocking shelves,
    packing boxes, serving food, delivering meals, etc.
  • Partnering with Life Blood at their blood drives.
  • Partnering with organizations such as House of Grace, Hope Ministries, Sacred
    Heart, by collecting, sorting, and passing out clothing, household goods,
    furniture, appliances, etc.
  • Partnering with organizations that provide medical equipment by collecting
    needed items; i.e., wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, etc.
  • Partnering with a church hosting a community-wide event Easter egg hunt,
    trunk or treat, breakfast with Santa, Vacation Bible School, fall festivals, etc.
    Please don’t forget to take photos or your activities. Remember, one Auxiliary in each of the 10 Program Divisions with the most outstanding photo collage of their Auxiliary Outreach partnerships during the Program Year will receive a Citation and $25 at the end of the year.
    Again, thank you for all of your hard work. If you have any questions or need
    assistance, please contact me via text/phone call at 901-734-8160 or via email at . I look forward to seeing many more reports in the coming months from all of you and hope to see you in March.

Americanism Feb 25

Dawn Lawson 601-274-6407 email

February is a month of lots of enjoyment. 

The 9th was the Super Bowl, the 14th is 💕Valentines Day and the 17th is Presidents Day. 

Please take time to realize all of these events are at a high cost of those who gave their lives to allow us the Freedom to enjoy. 

Take  a moment to say a prayer for our troops unable to be home with family and for their safety. 

Thank a Veteran and say a prayer for all our Armed Forces.

God bless 💕

Legislative Jan 25

Rebecca Todd 901-262-8183 email

Happy New Year y’all!!

It is a brand new year and we need to continue being active in our legislative advocacy. This past year, the Elizabeth Dole Act was finally passed and is waiting the president’s signature to be signed into law. This will improve benefits for veterans and caregivers. Unfortunately, the Major Richard Star Act did not pass, even though it had much support. We have to continue our support of this much needed bill for reform of retirement pay and disability compensation.

Remember to keep pushing our legislators and letting our voices be heard! I urge you to sign up for Action Corp weekly, if you are not already.  This allows you to receive Action Alerts.  These let you know your voice is needed immediately in support of legislation that improves our veterans lives.
If you need help signing up for Action Corp weekly, call me and I will get you hooked up.
Together we can do this!