American Hometown Veteran Assist, Inc.

Founded in February, 2007 as American Hometown Fundraiser, incorporating in July that year under that name, we held our first fundraising event in October, at the Fort White Community Center, where we enjoyed tremendous success despite several setbacks—including nearly tropical-storm weather!

We re-named the corporation in 2008, to better reflect what we are about. In march of 2009, we were granted status as a 501-c-3 Public Charity, and—using what we had learned—began the planning of more fundraising events, getting our website up and running, and letting the “Community-at-large” know we were here to stay, and serious about assisting our veterans.

While the majority of our cases come via Case Managers & Social Workers with the various V/A facilities in our service area, we also receive requests from Veterans Service Offices, local churches and community service groups, and other organizations in similar pursuits.

A brief update, at the end of our fifth year

Since our founding, we have received 254 requests; one is pending, three were voided, eight were withdrawn, and forty have been denied. Using $176,283 to meet a wide array of needs, we have been able to provide assistance for 202 cases. Notably, 148 of the 254 requests have come within the past year!

Serving all generations of veterans within 100 miles of Fort White, Florida, about 1/3 of our cases have been in Alachua County; another third is equally split between Columbia County and South Georgia; 5% are in Jacksonville, and the balance are all over the coverage area.

Through the years, our Board of Directors grew from four to five, and then to seven. We remain an all-volunteer organization, striving to keep operating expenses minimal. We greatly appreciate the tremendous support we have enjoyed, and recognize we are simply the conduit through which the generosity of others flows—Thank you!

Our Board of Directors

President: Chuck Wilder, Vice President: Justin Guthrie, Treasurer: Sue Wilder, Secretary: Judy Keener, Directors: Faye Wilder, Jim Keener & Ron Chambers

Mission Statement for American Hometown Veteran Assist, Inc.

Our mission is to assist local* veterans of our Armed Forces and their family members in need, with war-wounded veterans being given highest priority.

Such assistance may take various forms, dependent upon circumstances, including—but not limited to—monetary, providing needed equipment, assistance with vehicle or other equipment repairs, help with locating needed resources, or other reasonable humanitarian assistance.

All assistance requests will be reviewed by the corporate officers for approval, based on available funds and conformance to our guiding principles: evident need, urgency, stress relief/family integrity, quality-of-life improvement, bolstering/restoration of self-respect & confidence.

*Local, for our purposes, is defined as within approximately a 100-mile radius of Fort White, Florida.

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