FORT LEE, Va. –  The Fort Lee community began raising funds for Army Emergency Relief  March 1, employing the organization battle-cry, “There For Those Who Serve.”

AER is a nonprofit entity that provides financial support to all valid ID card holders who are facing temporary financial hardship. Loans are interest free and in many cases, grants are given to prevent further financial hardship. While donations are accepted year-round, Fort Lee’s campaign ends May 15.

“For the past 76 years, AER has maintained a rich history of taking care of Soldiers,” said Patsy Piggott, Army Community Service, AER specialist. “The focus, as always, is to continue to provide valuable resources for military members of all ranks and their families when faced with emergency financial difficulties. The goal of the campaign is to raise contributions to replenish funds and to increase awareness of the availability of AER.”

AER has implemented many new policies in support of service members and families like allowing direct access for all valid ID Card holders to request assistance without going through their chain of command, increasing assistance with natural disasters, and, most notably, offering emergency assistance in the event of a government shutdown.

“This is why it’s so very important to support our campaign and give generously because not only does it support Soldiers and retirees, but the program also provides emergency financial assistance to widows and dependent children,” Piggott said.

Last year, the AER program provided financial support totaling $847,889.52 to Fort Lee soldiers and families.

To learn more about AER or to donate, visit www.aerhq.org.

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Fort Lee is the Army’s Home of Sustainment and supports the training, education and development of adaptive Army logistics professionals. Major organizations on the installation include the Defense Commissary Agency, Defense Contract Management Agency, Combined Arms Support Command, the Army Logistics University, U.S. Army Ordnance School, U.S. Army Quartermaster School and U.S. Army Transportation School. Fort Lee supports nearly 86,000 Soldiers, retirees, veterans, family members and civilian employees and boasts an economic impact of about $2.4 billion per year.