COVID-19 Resources for Military Families

The below information relates to existing and new resources for veterans/current military members and their families, and in some cases, the general public. 

COVID-19 Resource List 

Click here for a list of COVID-19 Resources, provided courtesy of the DOD's Building Healthy Communities program coordinator for Indiana (thank you Sylvia Maixner). The list includes contact information and general information about multiple resources, as well as websites and hotlinks for up-to-date data and recommendations.

Family Assistance Specialist brochure created by the Indiana National Guard Family Programs team

Click here for a brochure that lists contact information for Family Assistance Specialists (FAS) covering geographic areas across the State of Indiana. The phone numbers have remained constant, even when there have been changes in personnel. Since the Stay At Home order was issued by Governor Holcomb, the FAS team members have been working remotely (not in their offices in National Guard armories), and they are typically available by phone during typical business hours or 24/7 for emergencies. Generally speaking, any service member or former service member (active duty, Guard or reserves) who lives in Indiana or is assigned to a unit in Indiana can contact a FAS for assistance. One of the specialties of the FAS team members is knowledge about local support options for service members, in addition to knowledge of county, state and federal resources. Please see the attached brochure for subject matter information.  

PenFed Foundation Support:

The COVID-19 Emergency Relief Program was created to provide financial assistance to all veterans, active duty service members, National Guard and reservists who are experiencing a financial setback due to the negative economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant amount will support one month of payment up to $1,500 in the following areas: rent, mortgage, auto loan/lease and utilities. The other programs that the PenFed Foundation offer are: 1) Emergency Financial Assistance, 2) Family & Caregiver Support Grants, 3) Dream Makers Home Buying Grants, 4) Veteran Entrepreneur Investment Program (VEIP). For more information, visit the PenFed website at https://www.penfed.org/partners/penfed-foundation

Military Family Relief Fund - Indiana Department of Veteran Affairs 
The eligibility for the MFRF has been revised to respond to financial emergencies resulting from the impact of COVID-19. From what I can see when comparing it to the previous version of the IDVA's MFRF, the grant application asks the applicant to provide a statement explaining how COVID-19 impacted the Veteran, and generally expands eligibility to Veterans who may not have qualified for the previous version of the MFRF program. Click here to download a brochure.