Tidbits
LVMAC Tidbit:Â Veterans may need to act by May 5 for Economic Impact Payments
Special alert for those who don’t file a tax return and have dependents under the age of 17 years. On 24 April, the Internal Revenue Service issued a special alert for Supplemental Security Income and Department of Veterans Affairs beneficiaries to act by May 5 if they didn’t file a Read more…
Forward Observer
Forward Observer: Mental Health First Aid Course Returns to the Lehigh Valley
From the Lehigh County Director of Veterans Affairs:Â “See attached flyer [click on the image to the right] for the upcoming Mental Health First Aid training on April 6. You can register using the attached or visit the website listed on the flyer. There is no cost for the training … (more…)
Forward Observer
Forward Observer: Bethany UM Adds to Its Military Veteran Family Support Services
As we reported in a 19 September blog, Bethany United Methodist Church located in the Macungie/Wescoville area, intended to conduct two workshops to promote a better understanding of PTSD with the ultimate intention of starting a peer-to-peer support group afterwards.
As a result of those meetings, we have learned that the church has started two of these types of support groups instead:Â one for male veterans and another for women, whether veterans or spouses or ‘significant others’ — which makes this group unique to the valley when looked at from a veteran’s context. (more…)
Tidbits
LVMAC Tidbit: Operation Homefront Offers Military Child Scholarships for 2020
### As of 27 September 2019
Tidbits
LVMAC Tidbit: Have You Considered Our Counties’ Departments of Human Services as a Useful Resource for Veterans?
Regarding veterans benefits and services in this valley,we most often think of those provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD). The smattering of state veterans benefits are hardly given a thought. Admittedly, for the average veteran they are nonexistent.
However, veterans and their families sometimes forget that county-level human services resources do exist which might be useful to them. After all, Pennsylvania state government depends upon its counties to deliver the majority of its organized, social services. Unfortunately counties are generally inexpert at marketing or advertising the value of their Department of Human Services services to veterans and their families
Yet, to know of these resources is important, even for those receiving VA or DoD veterans benefits. (more…)
LVMAC NEWS
LVMAC News: LVMAC Scholarship Announcement
LVMAC Scholarship Program
— For those from the Lehigh Valley —
Typical annual scholarship is at least $1,000 (more…)
LVMAC NEWS
LVMAC News: Hokey Trout Unlimited Takes It to Another Level
As one of our original collaborations, an exercise in looking out for the well-being of our returned veterans via fly fishing activities has with the perseverance and hard work of Trout Unlimited – Hokendaqua eventually evolved into one of our most successful efforts. (more…)
LVMAC NEWS
LVMAC News: Funeral Benefits
A terrible subject, we know, but our guidance maybe of use to you.  It is the result of some questions asked of us lately. ### As of  6 October 2018
Tidbits
LVMAC Tidbit: Local Red Cross Seeks Special Volunteer to Serve Our Military Servicemembers and Their Families
One of our member organizations, the Lehigh Valley-Bucks Chapter of the American Red Cross, wants to re-establish its Services to the Armed Forces (SAF) program in Lehigh, Northampton and Bucks counties. Â As a first step, a special kind of volunteer, working with the regional project manager for the program, must be found.
What is the Red Cross’ SAF program in the first place? It is a longstanding program which supports our service members in the military by connecting them with their families during emergencies, providing them resilience training to deal with the challenges of deployment, and linking their families with local community resources. (more…)