Case of the Week Success Stories
Summary: 23 year Army Reserve Veteran who had two tours of duty in Iraq was wounded as the tractor-trailer he was driving was hit by an IED and then came under small arms fire. The wounds he received spelled an end to his career and in May of ’06 he came back home to Long Island, NY.
Situation: His Social Security and Disability benefits while under review were inadequate to keep his mortgage current on the home he shares with his wife and 14 year-old daughter. He was facing foreclosure and needed help. He also needed help to renovate the home because his disability prevented him from climbing steps, etc.
Actions: Since then, USA Cares came through with $7,430 to save the home from foreclosure. Another national non-profit organization, Rebuilding Together, also helped with renovations to their home.
Summary : An Army Reservists was deployed to Afghanistan in '04 – ‘05. While he was away, his wife developed a neurological disease and was unable to work and maintain the family's mortgage payment.
Situation : The family has been using their 401(k) proceeds to make ends meet but have fallen over three months behind in their mortgage payment. The wife's health has improved considerably and she has resumed work. The family has worked with Consumer Credit Counseling Service and trimmed their monthly budget significantly.
Actions : USA Cares has negotiated with the mortgage company to drop some late fees and freeze the interest on the ARM loan for five years. The USA Cares “virtual committee” concurred that a $7,200 payment from our Homeowners Preservation Foundation grant was necessary to get this family the peace of mind they deserve. In addition, the Service Member will be deployed again very soon. President Bush's Soldiers, Sailors Relief Act will ensure that their interest rate goes to 6% upon his next deployment.
Summary : A National Guardsman who was deployed to Iraq in '03 – '04 had to take emergency leave to care for his four month old daughter who had an infection in her face that was making breathing difficult.
Situation : The medical facility was hours away by automobile and the family had to use their resources to be nearby. Unlike regular service members, National Guardsmen do not receive “separate rations” when on emergency leave so no additional monies were available to offset the expenses. The Ronald McDonald house was made available to them on the second week of their stay but the situation soon changed. The Mom had to take care of the baby in the hospital and dad's leave expired and he had to return to the guard unit and to take care of their other children.
Actions : USA Cares assisted with $388.80 to make a car payment that was now late and provided $100 for additional food and gas expenses.
Summary : An enemy sniper took careful aim and shot this soldier in the head while he was on watch tower duty. His Kevlar helmet (photo attached) saved his life but he now suffers from Post Traumatic-Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Ironically he was not awarded a Purple Heart at the time but paperwork is in process to investigate and remedy this if possible. He and his wife have three children ages seven, eight and nine.
Situation : The results of either PTSD or TBI (or both) have confronted this soldier and his family with difficulties that are hard for many to imagine unless they have seen the familiar patterns from a trained medical vantage point. After seven months of PTSD medical treatment in Iraq, his hearing loss and tinnitus worsened. Upon his return home, he could not hold a job and consequently his family's financial situation deteriorated. They fell behind in their mortgage payment by over $10,000 and were very close to losing their home.
Actions : A Social Worker at the Veterans Administration Hospital who was familiar with USA Cares called the case to our attention. As a result, USA Cares helped coordinate the involvement of four different organizations to save this military family's home.
USA Cares in association with the Homeowners Preservation Fund provided help along with The American Legion and the Kentucky National Guard Trust Fund. Working in unison this group acquired a combined total of $10,494.94 to bring this Military Family's mortgage up-to-date.
The Soldier and his family were also doing their part. His disability is being reviewed and is expected to go from 60% at present to 100%. His wife is now working for a good company. This should help them and their three children remain in their home.
Summary : This service member was deployed to Afghanistan in February 2006 and returned home one year later to find his two year old son needing an emergency liver transplant. Since then, finding affordable housing near proper medical facilities has caused severe hardships.
Situation : The son underwent liver transplant surgery in Philadelphia, PA while the family was living near the soldier's duty station in up-state New York. The hospital would not release the son until the family could relocate near a medical facility with proper outpatient treatment capabilities.
Actions : USA Cares contacted appropriate military and private sector personnel to assist in transferring and housing this family. The Army reacted quickly by granting a compassionate reassignment to a base near a qualified healthcare facility. USA Cares personnel spoke with the management of an off-post, gated community who expedited arrangements for the family's move.
Due to months of extraordinary expenses, the Service Member was able to raise less than one fourth of the out-of-pocket costs necessary to complete the move. USA Cares stepped in and assisted with a check for $1,500 paid to the property management company. This assistance combined with normalization of the soldiers pay and his cost of living adjustments for the local area means that this military family should be OK.
Summary : An Army Reservist was laid off from his regular job in January. Due to paperwork issues his pay from Reserve drills was not received and he fell behind in his utility payment.
Situation : His is a single income family and they had requested assistance with other agencies and groups to no avail. Before assistance could be received, the gas was turned off.
At this point he turned to USA Cares requesting urgent attention.
Actions : USA Cares validated the information and coordinated with four other agencies who shared in assisting this family.
USA Cares issued a check for the remaining balance to the gas company to turn the gas back on. USA Cares also brought in the Salvation Army and a local Church to help this veteran get back onto his feet.