For veterans: Holiday help available for veterans, their children

Steven Miller
·1 min read

The Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs announced last month that it has started a program called Operation Holiday Program. It is part of the Military Family Relief Fund, which is designed to assist Hoosier veterans and their families who are experiencing financial hardship.

Monroe County Veterans Service Officer Steven Miller
Monroe County Veterans Service Officer Steven Miller

The Operation Holiday Program can help with some essential holiday expenses for dependent children of low-income veterans. The program offers $200 for each child in the veterans' household and $150 toward a holiday meal. All applications must be received by 4 p.m. Dec. 30.

Eligibility

  • The veteran must have an honorable, under honorable conditions, or certain other than honorable discharges.

  • The household income cannot exceed two times the United States federal poverty guidelines.

  • An eligible child shall be under 18 years of age at the time of the application, or the child can be 18 years of age if still enrolled in high school or a high school equivalently program.

  • Please note, if you have received a previous award the maximum lifetime amount an applicant may receive from the fund is $2,500, unless a higher amount is approved by the commission.

To apply, go to https://bit.ly/32YYuIL and select the link "Operation Holiday Program," or reach out to my office and I can get you a paper application.

If you need assistance filing a VA disability claim or if you have questions about federal, state, or local veterans benefits, please reach out to my office. Steven Miller, Monroe County veteran service officer, can be reached at 812-349-2537 or smiller@co.monroe.in.us.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: For veterans: Holiday help available for veterans, their children