If you are a veteran who is having financial difficulty making ends meet during the Corona Virus pandemic, there may be help for you. There are several organizations who have funds to assist you with your mortgage or car payment or to help pay your utility bills.

Military Heroes, The COVID-19 Emergency Relief Program, was created to provide financial assistance to all Veterans, Active Duty Service Members, National Guard and the Reserves who are experiencing a finan¬cial setback due to the negative economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant amount will support 1 month of payment up to $1500 in the following areas:

• Rent

• Mortgage

• Auto Loan/Lease

• Utilities.

In most cases, the financial assistance can be ap¬proved and issued to the Service Member within 24 hours of the approval.

For more information please visit the PenFed Foundation website at: https://penfedfoundation.org/apply-for-assistance/coronavirus-emergency-financial-assistance/ or call Ruth Ragels at the SD Family As¬sistance Center in Mitchell, SD at 605-877-2517 or Charles Mix County Veterans Service Officer Jerry Seiner at 605-481-1338.

The Disabled American Veterans organization is also estab¬lishing a COVID-19 Relief Fund to provide help to service-connected disabled veterans who have lost employment or income. Similar to the DAV’s traditional Disaster Relief program, DAV will be distributing grants to provide aid to eligible dis¬abled veterans and their families impacted by COVID-19.

To donate to the COVID-19 Relief Fund, or to learn how to apply for a grant, please visit https://www.dav.org/covidrelief/.