Sadly too many Veterans don’t take advantage of the benefits that are provided to them by the VA. Either they don’t know how to gain access to benefits or maybe they aren’t aware that they have them available to them at all.

 

Veteran Aid is a non-profit organization designed to help inform Veterans of the options available to them and help them gain access to those benefits earned through their service to our country. So far they have helped thousands of Veteran’s and their families take advantage of some of the great home health care options afforded to them for their service. 

 

Debbie Burak, the founder of Veteran Aid, took the time to answer some of our questions about Veteran Aid and the role that it has played in so many Veterans lives.

 

What is the mission of Veteran Aid?

 

To inform the general public about a little known VA Pension Benefit known as “Improved Pension”, which consists of 3 levels; Basic, Housebound and Aid, and Attendance.  This pension can help pay for care either in-home, assisted living or a nursing home to those who require the assistance of others for their day-to-day living.  A veteran is eligible for $1632 a month.  A surviving spouse $1056 a month and a veteran with a spouse $1949 a month. This pension benefit is often overlooked simply because people don’t know it’s available.

 

What is your primary goal and how does your organization hope to accomplish it?

 

The primary goal is to get this pension benefit to a national level and for it to become as common knowledge as Social Security, Medicare, etc. so that those veterans or surviving spouses who are in need financially to pay for care, will know this is a resource.

 

We are constantly looking for media opportunities through all venues for exposure. Hundreds of contacts have been made to all the national outlets with no one willing to date to step up on the topic.  Our website, veteranaid.org is ranked #1 as are the forums on the site. I do guest speaking, and radio interviews along with trips to Washington, DC to meet with Senators and Congress with the hope of getting a bill passed requiring the VA to inform veterans and their families of benefits they may not be aware of.  Quite like what Social Security does with their annual summary. All of these efforts are shared on all social networks as an additional means of exposure.  We are currently exploring the option of holding a Veteran Aid concert in Washington, DC.

 

Our secondary goal is to bring about necessary changes with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs agency making it more transparent and accountable to those who serve our country.  Currently there are over 1 million claims in backlog.  Many of their processes are antiquated and not utilizing current technology.

 

How long has Veteran Aid been around?

 

4 ½ years.

 

What sparked the idea for Veteran Aid?

 

VeteranAid.org came into being due to my challenges as the daughter of a WWII veteran and providing care to my parents over a 9-year period.  We were told 7 different times by the VA that my father was not entitled to anything, when all along Improved Pension has been an entitlement for 59 years sitting idle and under utilized by millions who have and are missing out. I discovered the pension at my father’s passing and having to move my mother.  I applied on her behalf and she was awarded the pension.  The VA refused to release her money due to mental incompetencies and they refuse to recognize Power of Attorney.  Please see this link for my story and how this mission came into being. http://veteranaid.org/docs/mystory.pdf  I am that daughter who was desperate and out of hope, options and money to pay for their care.

 

Where does the funding come from?

 

Currently all expenses for this project are paid by me personally.  I own a company, www.WovenEmbrace.com and when I am able I pull some monies from that to help offset operating costs for VeteranAid.org.  We are in the process of filing for non-profit status, and hoping that donations will help to defer costs and allow us additional advertising opportunities.

 

How have you helped veterans and their families?

 

Simply by sharing information.  Providing the tools to complete this complicated application and other resources necessary to get through this process.  Our forums are a virtual library along with our FAQ section on the site.  It is incredibly rewarding that your efforts provide the financial resource for someone to be able to afford proper care for their loved one.  When I get an email that someone just got a $15,000 check retro active because of my efforts, it is an honor to know that I have made a difference. 

 

Recently I was the guest speaker at an event in GA.  On the plane ride down the gentleman sitting next to me shared that he was on his way to MS to take care of his dad and stepmom who were both in assisted living.  His dad had fallen and had to go to a nursing home.  I asked if his dad was a veteran to which he replied, yes.  I handed him a business card and said “Here is over $23,000 tax-free dollars annually to help you pay for that care.”  His family was struggling to pay for their monthly care, and he was in shock that this pension was available.  This stranger had tears in his eyes when he said “Thank You”.  Just by sharing information, you can change someone’s life and circumstances.

 

What challenges do you face when trying to help veterans and their families?

 

The amount of misinformation given out by VA employees who literally do not know or fully understand this pension as it is completely different than “Disability Compensation”.  No service related injuries are required to qualify. The mindset of the VA to delay, deny and when that doesn’t work, shred applications.  Applications being processed for the wrong benefit, which results in the applicant having to provide additional information and wait several more months with the hope it gets straightened out.  1.369 veterans 70 or older die every day in this country, many while waiting for the VA to award this pension.  The VA taking up to 2 years to process a very simple pension that is not contingent on service related injuries.  The application used to be a simple 4-page form, but is now an astounding 26 pages.

 

How many people do you reach?

 

The site has over 40,000 visitors each month.  The forums come close to that as well.  We have over 1100 registered forums users, and social networks have been wonderful at sharing our mission.  With all of our various efforts it is hard to say how many thousands of people we reach.

 

What are the biggest obstacles you face when trying to reach people?

 

I am at a loss for words for how our mainstream media has refused to consider a segment on this pension.  Millions are missing out and given our current economy this financial resource truly represents the level and quality of care to be afforded.  There are 2 million WWII veterans still living and over 5 million Korean veterans.  These figures do not include the spouse or widows who would also be eligible for this pension.  I don’t know how many stories in a journalist’s career come along that would allow you to change the lives of millions of people.  Evidently this is not newsworthy.

 

When I started this mission, I honestly thought that everyone I contacted would have jumped at the opportunity to cover this topic.  I never thought 41/2 years later I would still be submitting and begging for someone to step up and do the honorable thing.

 

 

How can our readers get involved?

 

They can share the site with those they know that may be entitled.

 If they have resources and contacts in the media, radio, newspaper etc they can share that with us.

If they have skills in putting on large events such as the concert I want to do, we will gladly accept volunteers. 

 If they know any big country and western performers like Tracie Atkins, Charlie Daniels, Willie Nelson, all of which are huge veteran supporters that would be incredible.

 If they have websites or blogs they can put an ad or link on to help spread the word.

Post it on their Twitter and Facebook pages and follow us on Twitter.  Become a Fan on FaceBook

They can purchase sympathy/condolences gifts from WovenEmbrace.com that would allow for more funding for the cause.

Last but not least if they would like to make a donation to the cause at PayPal@VeteranAid.org that would be greatly appreciated.

 

What message would you like to communicate to our readers?

 

That one person can make a difference.  Together all our voices can make a bigger difference, and rarely will an opportunity come along on this scale to “Pay it Forward” while honoring the sacrifice of service to our brave men and women who pay the price of for our Freedom.

 

 

 

*Please visit my blogs for more information and in particular read the entries titled:

 

VA vs IRS

Did You Know

Not So Easy After all

Beginnings

http://veteranaid.org/vetblog/