New Family Assistance Fund available to Kentucky Servicemembers Grants available up to $5,000 per year for hardships and emergencies caused by deployments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                           July 19, 2007
By: Sgt. Fred Varney and Sgt. Gina Vaile 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment Kentucky Army National Guard Public Affairs Office

Contact: Sgt. Gina Vaile 502-607-5091 or Cpt. Steven Engels, 502-607-1156

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Kentucky servicemembers on deployment will have one less worry over their shoulders thanks to the new Kentucky Military Family Assistance Trust Fund.

Available to all members of the Armed Forces with a Kentucky home of record, the fund will provide up to $5,000 in a 12-month period for emergencies and hardships that are directly caused by deployment outside of the United States. Established as a grant, servicemembers do not have to pay back monies received from the trust fund.

"This provides protection for all of our Kentucky troops, regardless of what uniform they wear,” said Cpt. Steve Engels, program manager for the K-MFAST Trust Fund.

Engels said the fund is intended to be utilized as a last resort for assistance, when servicemembers have no other reasonable access to any other funding source. A maximum of $2,500 may be approved for a single application, and a maximum of $5,000 may be approved for a fiscal year.

According to the statute, servicemembers can request funds for necessary expenses such as housing, utilities, groceries, insurance and child care, to name a few. 

“We have had one Soldier utilize this fund in the last month,” Engels said. “We want to get the word out there so that others who don’t know about this program, and need it, will have access.”

All K-MFAST applicants must be enrolled in DEERS for verification purposes. Kentucky resident spouses of eligible military members are able to request for assistance through the K-MFAST as well.

Engels said the Soldier to utilize the K-MFAST Trust Fund received money within one week after applying. Engels said the goal is to get the funds out as quickly as possible.

Servicemembers who have recently returned from deployment have an additional 90-day window to apply for assistance with this fund.

"Kentucky's military families have made so many sacrifices on behalf of our nation and the commonwealth," said Maj. Gen. Donald C. Storm, Adjutant General for Kentucky. 

"I am so proud that the citizens of this great state have joined together in support of these unsung heroes.  I'm so grateful to Governor Fletcher, Senate President David Williams, House Speaker Jody Richards, Senator Elizabeth Tori, Representative Harry Moberly and all the state legislators in both the house and the senate who supported this program.  It is indeed the right thing to do at the right time!"

Kentucky Sen. Elizabeth Tori (R-District 10) sponsored the bill that was filed into law in 2006 and culminated with the filing of the governing administrative regulation on June 25, 2007.

"The military assistance trust fund was without a doubt the right thing to do for our service men and women," said Senator Tori.

"They have given so much to our country and by providing a safety net to their families we can do our part to help them.  This fund will provide general necessities to active duty military families and relive some of the every day pressures that are accompanied with expenses.  It is the very least we can do for their loved ones while they are away protecting our nation."

This Page viewed time since July 24, 2007.

Updated 07/24/2007