Direct Line

Virginia Imlah, NASSIG Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Director

During the 1903 Army versus Navy football game, a group of people passed the hat to raise funds to provide financial support to widows and orphans of service members. On January 23, 1904, that money was used to establish a formal aid society called Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS).

At the time of its founding, there were no medical or survivor benefits for service members and NMCRS began its mission of providing financial, educational, and other assistance. Over the years, NMCRS has evolved to meet emerging needs and currently offers a wide variety of programs and services to both active duty and retired members of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, their eligible family members, and survivors.

While NMCRS no longer passes the hat to raise funds to provide assistance, there is still a need for contributions. The majority of funds that NMCRS uses to offer its programs and services comes from the annual Active Duty Fund Drive. The motto of the fund drive is “By Our Own, For Our Own.” One of the main goals of the fund drive is to encourage service members to continue to care for one another by making a contribution that will ensure that service members can receive assistance when the need arises. The total Navy and Marine Corps-wide goal of this year’s fund drive is to raise $12.5 million. Our personal goal here at NAS Sigonella is to raise $90,000.

The Active Duty Fund Drive begins March 1 and runs through mid-April. Donations can be made via allotment, cash, check, or credit card. Representatives from each command execute the fund drive at the command level. In addition, various local fundraising events are held throughout the month of March including car washes, commissary bagging, and the popular radiothon on AFN. Community involvement is vital to the success of the fund drive.

In Sigonella, it is often the newcomers who have the greatest need for financial assistance. This is due to the many expenses involved with an overseas move compounded by the time it takes to process travel claims and receive all of the allowances to cover the costs of temporary lodging and living overseas. Many service members do not have enough savings to cover all of these expenses. This can cause financial hardship and stress, but NMCRS offers financial assistance to share the burden of these costs.

Another important goal of the fund drive is to educate all active duty personnel about NMCRS programs and services to ensure that they know what resources are available should they have a need. NMCRS provides financial assistance in the form of interest-free loans and grants for a wide variety of needs. NMCRS also offers personal budget counseling as well as a monthly Budget for Baby® class to help clients better manage their finances. The Visiting Nurse program provides free, in-home visits by a registered nurse. Many NMCRS locations, including NAS Sigonella, have a thrift store that sells used uniforms, clothing, and other household items as a way to help service members and their families save money.

Your contributions to the Active Duty Fund Drive directly support the programs and services provided by NMCRS in our local community. NAS Sigonella has a long-standing history of generously giving to the Active Duty Fund Drive. Thank you for your continued support.