Children Charities

Children Charities

AMERICAN LEGION CHILD WELFARE FOUNDATION

The American Legion Child Welfare Foundation Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization, is “dedicated to the betterment of all children.”

Its mission and foremost philanthropic priority are to contribute to the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual welfare of children and youth by aiding progress in the field of child welfare through dissemination of knowledge about research, studies, surveys, projects or by supporting programs and activities benefiting the welfare of children and youth.

The American Legion Child Welfare Foundation accomplishes these goals each year by awarding grants to nonprofit youth-serving organizations for disseminating information that conforms to the foundation’s purpose. Since 1954, more than $17 million has been granted to help deserving organizations produce and distribute current and valuable information.

AMERICAN LEGION VETERANS AND CHILDREN FOUNDATION

After World War I, veterans, widows, and children continued to struggle to return to a normal life. The American Legion, aware of the grave responsibilities entrusted to them by those who had served, took action. In 1924, newly elected American Legion National Commander James A. Drain undertook a massive fundraising challenge. His goal was $5 million – equivalent to $71 million in today’s dollars. The purpose was twofold: to fund service officer training and provide free assistance for disabled veterans and to extend a financial safety net for needy military and veteran families with children. The American Legion Endowment Fund was born of this twofold purpose. Today, it has a new name illustrative of the timeless assistance it has pro¬vided through the generations – The American Legion Veterans and Children Foundation.

Since its inception, the fund has provided over $30 million in assistance to veterans, members of the U.S. armed forces and their families.

CHILDREN & YOUTH MONTH

Celebrated as “Children & Youth Month” since 1938, April is the perfect time of year for Legionnaires to demonstrate that the American Legion Family is committed to its community, and especially its children.

Posts can host a child- or youth-themed community event, invite a subject-matter expert to present at a meeting, collaborate on a project with a local school, or any number of other activities.

Children represent the future of our nation. It is up to us to equip them with knowledge, leadership skills and a commitment to service that they will use as productive adult citizens of the United States.

About The

Legion Riders

Currently, over 110,000 American Legion Riders meet in over 2,000 chapters in every domestic department and in at least three foreign countries.