The Basic Needs Program of the Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund offers limited emergency financial assistance for military families whose ability to provide for themselves has been compromised by the grief of losing a service member in a time of war. Often times, military benefits are not made available to all family members who need them. The Basic Needs Program can fill in the benefits gap for these families, while at the same time, offering referrals and advocacy in order to address the obstacles to financial self sufficiency. The Basic Needs Program can be the bridge for missed rental/mortgage payments, utility bills and other basic necessities.
Eligibility. You may be eligible for assistance through this program if:
- You are a family member of a military service member from Massachusetts fallen in service to the United States as a result of or in support of Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom or Iraqi Freedom. For the purposes of this program, eligible family members are those related to the fallen service member as a spouse, domestic partner, child, parent or sibling. Other family members may be considered if they have been appointed guardians for dependents of the deceased service member;
- You have experienced financial hardship as a direct result of the death of your family service member; and
- The Adjusted Gross Income for the latest federal tax return filed for your household does not exceed three times the federal poverty level for the year in which the assistance is awarded. The latest Federal Poverty Guidelines can be found here: http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/ . As a reference, for 2011, three times the federal poverty level for most states is as follows:
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The 2011 Poverty Guidelines for the
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48 Contiguous States and the District of Columbia
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Persons in family
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Poverty guideline
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Poverty Guideline
x 3
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1
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$10,890
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$32,670
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2
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14,710
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$44,130
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3
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18,530
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$55,590
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4
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22,350
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$67,050
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5
|
26,170
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$78,510
|
|
6
|
29,990
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$89,970
|
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7
|
33,810
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$101,430
|
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8
|
37,630
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$112,890
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For families with more than 8 persons, add $3,820 for each additional person.
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Application. Family members interested in applying to this program should click on the link below to download an application.
MMHF Application for Financial Assistance
Completed applications can be mailed to the Fund as follows:
Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund
Basic Needs Program Application
727 Atlantic Avenue, 3rd Floor
Boston, MA 02111
Important Note: Funding for this program is limited at this time. Assistance will be awarded based on the urgency of the presenting need and on the availability of funds. If you are a Massachusetts family member of a fallen military service member who does not meet the above guidelines, please call us for assistance regardless and we will do our best to match your needs with other community resources.
Clinical Case Management
Eligible family members can meet with the staff social worker on a regular basis to help them address psychiatric obstacles to benefits and social services. Meetings will focus on coordination of services being provided by all agencies working with the family member, particularly any involved therapists. This program does not take the place of regular mental health counseling.
Family members wishing to access this program should contact Diane Nealon at 617-482-0444, or at dnealon@massmilitaryheroes.org.