USAA donates $30 million to help military families in need

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Since the beginning of the pandemic, military families and veterans have been faced with unique and unanticipated challenges. To help those individuals and families regain their footing, USAA is committing $30 million in donations as part of its military family relief initiative.

From military spouse unemployment reaching nearly 30% to the more than 20,000 guardsmen currently deployed stateside to help with crisis response efforts, the military community is facing incredible uncertainty. Now, with this major donation the largest one-time philanthropic contribution in USAA’s nearly 100-year history, USAA is hoping to help those in need.

Kent Fortune, Regional Vice President for USAA Colorado Springs said, “I think it’s a small way to say thank you and say we know you are struggling and we want to be part of the solution.”

Officials with USAA say this donation will help the military community more easily navigate challenges, including extended deployments, prolonged family separations, an increased risk of job loss, among many other needs.

So if you are in the military and struggling how can you apply?

“All they have to do is go out to usaa.com/coronavirus and they can apply. If you go to whatever branch of service they serve they can get emergency grants,” Fortune said.

The $30 million commitment will be awarded to two dozen organizations that support the military community in three key areas. Emergency financial assistance for active duty, guard and reserve, career support for transitioning active duty, veterans and military spouses and wellbeing of military children as well as families of the fallen, wounded and ill. Fortune said he hopes this donation will spark a greater effort in getting even more people to donate.

"And then the last thing you can do is just share your story. This is really trying times financially so how do we help others kind of with that financial resiliency so if you are doing pretty good at it, share your story so it can help others.”

Additionally, USAA and the USAA Foundation previously contributed nearly $11 million to Covid-19 crisis relief causes earlier this year.