Let’s face it — emergencies are inevitable. Sometimes, they catch us off guard when least expected, which can make things even more challenging. When these situations arise, the American Legion Auxiliary is here to lend a helping hand to its members.

The Auxiliary Emergency Fund, established in 1969, provides financial assistance to members who may need help getting back on their feet.

Minnesota native Sandra Fredrickson has belonged to the American Legion Auxiliary since 1980. In February, she and her husband had a mess on their hands after their basement flooded. The reasoning – excessive snow melt.

“He called me at work one day and said, ‘Well, worst case that we could think of happened. The water is coming in the house,’” said Fredrickson. “It went from inches to 2 feet in just a matter of an hour, and all you could do was stand there and say, ‘Oh my word.’”

In total, repairs were estimated to be $34,000. The insurance company was willing to cover only $5,000.

“We kind of live down there – it affected every room,” said Fredrickson.

That’s when she began thinking of ways to help alleviate the financial burden.

“Just out of the blue, I thought, ‘There is an Auxiliary Emergency Fund, but I don’t know if it covers this,’” Fredrickson said.

She called the ALA Department of Minnesota for more information and was encouraged to apply.

Her application was approved, and she received a check for $1,600. Fredrickson said she and her husband were grateful for the assistance.

“When we got that check, he said, ‘I can’t believe there’s truly help out there through this organization,’” said Fredrickson. “You never dream that you have to reach out that way, but thank God they were there.”

While the AEF has provided support to many ALA members like Fredrickson, we need your help to keep it going. No matter the amount of your donation, you’re helping make an impact on the lives of fellow members.

Donating online is simple – just go to donate.legion-aux.org and pick Auxiliary Emergency Fund when prompted to choose which fund you would like to donate to before completing the process.

Prefer to mail a check instead? No problem! Just write “AEF” in the memo and mail a check made payable to American Legion Auxiliary. Send to:

American Legion Auxiliary National Headquarters
Attn: Development Division
3450 Founders Road
Indianapolis, IN 46268

We can’t thank you enough for your support toward helping fellow ALA members in their greatest time of need. You are truly carrying out our mission of members helping members!