Newsroom & Press Releases
USA Cares at Work in Illinois and Michigan
To date, USA Cares has assisted 403 clients in the state of Illinois, saving 17 homes in the process. In all, USA Cares has granted Illinois military families $110,699.27. Read about one Illinois service member and his story:
Process Nearly Costs Illinois Service Member His Home
Problem: An Army veteran could not sufficiently cover his bills with his monthly benefits and began tapping into his savings to make ends meet. The Iraq war veteran was facing foreclosure on his home.
Situation: While serving in Iraq, the service member from Illinois was injured in an IED attack that resulted in the dual diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). More than a year went by while he waited for his disability rating to be increased by the Veteran’s Administration (VA). Subsequently he depleted all of his savings.
The service member was three months behind in his mortgage payment when he requested assistance from USA Cares. Fortunately, he had begun to receive his 100% disability rating from the VA. That, along with unemployment compensation and vocational rehabilitation benefits left the family with a monthly surplus of more than $300.
Solution: USA Cares responded swiftly to his request, granting the service member $5,307.88 in housing assistance. This resulted in one less empty Illinois home, one less neighborhood with an empty house in it and one happy veteran whose home is now secure.
In Michigan alone, USA Cares has granted military families $117,336.14—assisting 359 clients and saving 27 homes. Following is the story of one Michigan family:
Michigan Guard Family Faces Dark Days and Hungry Nights
Problem: A medically discharged Army National Guard member had fallen behind on his families’ rent and utility payments—and had resorted to seeking meals from local food pantries.
Situation: While deployed to Iraq, the married father of two suffered injuries that include a bomb attack that propelled him out of his bunk and into a concrete wall, and an IED attack on the HUMMV in which he was riding. Along with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) for which he received inpatient treatment and currently attends a twice-weekly outpatient program, the service member attends speech therapy, is pending foot surgery and is wheelchair-bound save for one hour each day for use of a cane. Care of the service member and their children has left his spouse unable to seek employment.
The former guard member has begun receiving Social Security benefits of almost $1,000/month and is waiting to be fully disability rated by the Veteran’s Administration (VA).
Solution: USA Cares responded quickly to the request for help from this Michigan service member who, along with his family, has sacrificed much. Ensuring that the family would be otherwise self-sufficient, USA Cares granted the family $2,226.59—bringing their rent and utilities current and providing for $200-worth of food to restock the family pantry.
