Military and Veteran Emergency Support Program
We at The Cost of Courage Foundation are committed to supporting active duty members of the United States military, Veterans and their families. We are proud to sponsor a program that provides emergency assistance for current and former service members. Surviving Spouses, Children and Siblings of service members who died while serving in the U.S. Military are also eligible for aid.
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Commissary Gift Card Program
Commissary Gift Cards will be donated to service members and their families based upon need. The value of the gift cards will be limited to $25.00.
How to Apply
Applicants must complete both pages of the Military and Veteran Emergency Support Program
Request Form.
Active Duty Military Service Members, Veterans, and Gold Star Spouses, Children, or Siblings in need of emergency assistance may apply for the Commissary Gift Card Program using the emergency assistance form below.
Anyone can apply on behalf of a qualifying individual, but service verification for the Service Member or Veteran MUST be provided.
Please be as detailed in your responses on the form as possible. Aid will be awarded based upon need (annual income reported on the form will be taken into consideration in all cases). Each application must include the requested proof of service through either a copy of the service member's DD-214, Employer Letter, or DD1300. Please attach this proof to the form and black out any Social Security Numbers or personal information that is not vital to verification of service. All contents of the form must be sent at the same time to the e-mail below.
Due to the high number of applications we receive requesting aid, awards will be limited to one per calendar year for each recipient. Once you submit your application, please do not submit another as you will remain in the applicant pool for consideration.
For more information, please see our Frequently Asked Questions below.
To apply, please complete the following forms. Completed and scanned
forms may be sent via e-mail to
kelly@thecostofcouragefoundation.org
Request Form.
Active Duty Military Service Members, Veterans, and Gold Star Spouses, Children, or Siblings in need of emergency assistance may apply for the Commissary Gift Card Program using the emergency assistance form below.
Anyone can apply on behalf of a qualifying individual, but service verification for the Service Member or Veteran MUST be provided.
Please be as detailed in your responses on the form as possible. Aid will be awarded based upon need (annual income reported on the form will be taken into consideration in all cases). Each application must include the requested proof of service through either a copy of the service member's DD-214, Employer Letter, or DD1300. Please attach this proof to the form and black out any Social Security Numbers or personal information that is not vital to verification of service. All contents of the form must be sent at the same time to the e-mail below.
Due to the high number of applications we receive requesting aid, awards will be limited to one per calendar year for each recipient. Once you submit your application, please do not submit another as you will remain in the applicant pool for consideration.
For more information, please see our Frequently Asked Questions below.
To apply, please complete the following forms. Completed and scanned
forms may be sent via e-mail to
kelly@thecostofcouragefoundation.org
To download forms, please click below
| emergency_aid_form_2023_-_1.pdf |
| emergency_aid_form_2023_-_2.pdf |
Donations
In order to keep this vital program running, we must ensure that we have enough Commissary Gift Cards and a sufficient shipping fund to sustain the requests we receive. Therefore, we are truly grateful for those willing and able to lend assistance wherever possible.
Monetary Donation
If you would like to make a monetary donation to cover the purchase of Commissary Gift Cards, please visit our Donate Page. Your donation will be tax deductible and we will send you a receipt for the amount donated.
Commissary Gift Card Donation
If you would like to donate Commissary Gift Cards, please ensure that they are no more than $25.00 per card.
Your donation will be tax deductible and we will send you a receipt for the value of the gift cards donated.
Monetary Donation
If you would like to make a monetary donation to cover the purchase of Commissary Gift Cards, please visit our Donate Page. Your donation will be tax deductible and we will send you a receipt for the amount donated.
Commissary Gift Card Donation
If you would like to donate Commissary Gift Cards, please ensure that they are no more than $25.00 per card.
Your donation will be tax deductible and we will send you a receipt for the value of the gift cards donated.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I live in another State or another Country?
Commissary Gift Cards will be mailed to recipients, so you are not required to live within the State of California where The Cost of Courage Foundation is currently headquartered. Assistance packages will only be mailed to recipients within the United States or to those with an APO/FPO/DPO address internationally. If the service member is currently deployed and in need of assistance, please visit our Care Packaging page to learn more about how to request a Care Package.
How much does this assistance cost?
These Commissary Gift Cards are of no-cost to the recipients or the requestors.
How can I help?
If you would like to make a monetary donation so that we may cover purchase the gift cards we need to continue this program, please visit our Donate Page or reference the Donation information above.
Who is eligible for the Military, Veteran, and Survivor Emergency Support Program?
Anyone currently serving in the United States Military, United States Military Veterans, or the Spouse, Child or Sibling of a service member who died while serving in the United States Military. Recipients must be in need of emergency assistance due to low income or unexpected hardship.
I know of an Active Duty Service Member, Veteran, or Gold Star Family member in need. Can I apply on their behalf?
Yes! Any close advocate or family member can apply on behalf of a current Service Member or Veteran. The Spouse, Children, or Siblings of a service member who died while serving in the United States Military may also apply for aid. The close advocate or family member must provide proof of service for the Veteran or service member connected to the aid. Proof of Service can be rendered by providing a copy of any of the following documents: (1) DD-214; (2) Employer Letter; or (3) DD-1300. If an application is deficient (i.e. lacking proof of service or any of the required information) we will reach out the applicant and provide an opportunity to amend the form. In an effort to protect those who serve and the integrity of this program, refusal or inability to provide proof of service for the service member or Veteran will result in immediate denial of the request.
Can families apply for the program?
This program is intended to help Service Members, Veterans and Gold Star Families, so dependents can be beneficiaries of the items the Service Member or Veteran receives. We only ask that the formal recipient of the aid be the service member so that we may verify their service and confirm that they qualify for the assistance program. If the service member is deployed and they indicate that they would like an immediate family member such as a spouse, a child or a parent to accept the gift card on their behalf, that information must be indicated on the Request Form in Section B and verification of service must be provided.
How many times can I apply and receive assistance?
Due to limited resources, we can only provide aid once per calendar year to individual Service Members or Veterans who apply and are selected for the program. Therefore, recipients of the Emergency Support Program's assistance will only receive that donation. The same individual may apply again the following year and enter the selection pool for consideration during the next cycle.
How much are the Gift Cards worth?
We understand that current Service Members are limited in the amount of aid they are able to accept. Therefore, all assistance options for military Service Members will be limited to a nominal amount of $25.00 so that they may remain in compliance with federal regulations. This value also allows us to provide assistance to a greater number of families participating in the program so that emergency assistance can be experienced by as many service members and Veterans as possible. As resources permit, Veterans no longer serving in the military and Survivors may qualify for additional aid in cases of extreme hardship.
Does Every Applicant Get Selected for Aid?
Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate all requests. We would love nothing more than to assist every applicant, but due to limited resources, we will prioritize based on need. We will provide aid based on most immediate need and availability of resources.
Commissary Gift Cards will be mailed to recipients, so you are not required to live within the State of California where The Cost of Courage Foundation is currently headquartered. Assistance packages will only be mailed to recipients within the United States or to those with an APO/FPO/DPO address internationally. If the service member is currently deployed and in need of assistance, please visit our Care Packaging page to learn more about how to request a Care Package.
How much does this assistance cost?
These Commissary Gift Cards are of no-cost to the recipients or the requestors.
How can I help?
If you would like to make a monetary donation so that we may cover purchase the gift cards we need to continue this program, please visit our Donate Page or reference the Donation information above.
Who is eligible for the Military, Veteran, and Survivor Emergency Support Program?
Anyone currently serving in the United States Military, United States Military Veterans, or the Spouse, Child or Sibling of a service member who died while serving in the United States Military. Recipients must be in need of emergency assistance due to low income or unexpected hardship.
I know of an Active Duty Service Member, Veteran, or Gold Star Family member in need. Can I apply on their behalf?
Yes! Any close advocate or family member can apply on behalf of a current Service Member or Veteran. The Spouse, Children, or Siblings of a service member who died while serving in the United States Military may also apply for aid. The close advocate or family member must provide proof of service for the Veteran or service member connected to the aid. Proof of Service can be rendered by providing a copy of any of the following documents: (1) DD-214; (2) Employer Letter; or (3) DD-1300. If an application is deficient (i.e. lacking proof of service or any of the required information) we will reach out the applicant and provide an opportunity to amend the form. In an effort to protect those who serve and the integrity of this program, refusal or inability to provide proof of service for the service member or Veteran will result in immediate denial of the request.
Can families apply for the program?
This program is intended to help Service Members, Veterans and Gold Star Families, so dependents can be beneficiaries of the items the Service Member or Veteran receives. We only ask that the formal recipient of the aid be the service member so that we may verify their service and confirm that they qualify for the assistance program. If the service member is deployed and they indicate that they would like an immediate family member such as a spouse, a child or a parent to accept the gift card on their behalf, that information must be indicated on the Request Form in Section B and verification of service must be provided.
How many times can I apply and receive assistance?
Due to limited resources, we can only provide aid once per calendar year to individual Service Members or Veterans who apply and are selected for the program. Therefore, recipients of the Emergency Support Program's assistance will only receive that donation. The same individual may apply again the following year and enter the selection pool for consideration during the next cycle.
How much are the Gift Cards worth?
We understand that current Service Members are limited in the amount of aid they are able to accept. Therefore, all assistance options for military Service Members will be limited to a nominal amount of $25.00 so that they may remain in compliance with federal regulations. This value also allows us to provide assistance to a greater number of families participating in the program so that emergency assistance can be experienced by as many service members and Veterans as possible. As resources permit, Veterans no longer serving in the military and Survivors may qualify for additional aid in cases of extreme hardship.
Does Every Applicant Get Selected for Aid?
Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate all requests. We would love nothing more than to assist every applicant, but due to limited resources, we will prioritize based on need. We will provide aid based on most immediate need and availability of resources.
Reminder
We do our best to accommodate as many requests as possible. Due to the number of requests we receive, we appreciate your patience and will be sure to respond as quickly as possible. If we have additional questions regarding your application, we will contact you. Please only submit one application per intended recipient.