By John Montesano
In light of the current COVID-19 crisis that we are all going through, I will not present a Veteran of this month. Instead, for those veterans who may need assistance, the following is for them.
Veteran Assistance Commissions are county governmental agencies operated by and for veterans. The mission of each Veterans Assistance Commission is: To provide needed interim and/or emergency financial assistance paid exclusively to honorably discharged military veterans and their families, who reside in their counties, for basic living expenses; and to seek first to understand and to improve the economic well-being and quality of life for the veterans of their counties. The VAC provides non-financial services and seeks to identify and provide for other needs that veterans and their families may have. Whatever type of help you are seeking, don’t try to navigate the benefits bureaucracy alone. Let your VAC help. It is free!
A partial listing of available services provided include assistance with the following:
• Mortgage or rent payments.
• Utility payments.
• Emergency medical prescription.
• VA medical transportation needs.
• Burial expenses.
• Work or Home related expenses.
• Food/family essentials
• Auto expenses
• Free transportation from their office to Hines VA hospital.
• Information and referral, location and retrieval of discharge documents, and other services for the veteran community.
Emergency Financial Assistance Program is not an ongoing financial supportive program. Financial assistance is provided to veterans and their dependents who reside in each VAC County whose last discharge from service was honorable. This program is designed to assist veterans and their families who meet income guidelines and are in need of meeting basic living expenses for food, shelter, utilities, personal needs considered essential to the health and well-being of the individual or family. All assistance is paid by voucher directly to the vendor. Applicants receiving financial aid from other governmental agencies, whether Federal, state, county, or township programs are not eligible.
Please note: Not all of these services are offered at every VAC since not all counties provide all of these services. Each VAC has different services and qualifications and a veteran should contact their VAC for more information.
Assisting local veterans is of the utmost importance to each VAC office, but everyone’s welfare takes top priority. At this time, any communication with each VAC office will be through E-mail, phones, faxes, mail, or other means that are deemed safe. Each VAC apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause, but know that these actions are to ensure everyone remains safe and healthy through these trying times. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
The following are Veteran Assistant Commissions in six counties.
• DeKalb County Veterans Assistance Commission; Tammy Anderson, superintendent; 815-217-0414 direct; 815-756-8129, office; tanderson@dekalbcounty.org.
• Veterans Assistance Commission of DuPage County, Steve Fixler, superintendent, 630-407-5655, dupagevac@dupageco.org.
• Kane County Veterans Assistance Commission, Jacob A. Zimmerman, superintendent, 630-232-3550, zimmermanjacob@co.kane.il.us.
• Kendall County Veterans Assistance Commission, Chad Lockman, superintendent, 630-553-8357, clockman@co.kendall.il.us.
• McHenry County Veterans Assistance Commission, Michael Iwanicki, superintendent, 815-334-4935, veterans@mchenrycountyil.gov.
• Veterans Assistance Commission of Will County, chairman, Jack Picciolo, 815-740-8389, vacwc@willcountyillinois.com.