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(Tribune News Service) — With a theme of “Taking Care of Our Own — For Airmen and Guardians, By Airmen and Guardians,” the annual Air Force Assistance Fund campaign at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base kicked off March 7 and runs through April 15.

The annual AFAF campaign raises funds for affiliated charities that assist active-duty, Reserve, Guard, and retired Air Force and Guardian personnel and their families, according to Master Sgt. Daven Tucek, chief of the 88th Communications Squadron’s Policy and Evaluations Flight.

Tucek and Maj. Kristina Coughlin from the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine are this year’s installation project managers for the campaign.

“It’s a tremendous honor,” Tucek said, adding this year’s campaign goal is to raise $112,301.

The campaign’s four charities include the General and Mrs. Curtis E. LeMay Foundation, Air Force Enlisted Village, Air Force Villages Charitable Foundation and Air Force Aid Society.

These charities provide support in an emergency, with educational needs, or help secure a retirement home for widows or widowers of Air Force members in need of financial assistance.

“Throughout my career, I have seen these organizations have some of the most incredible impacts on Airmen across the Air Force,” Tucek said. “Having the ability to spread awareness of these four organizations and contribute to programs that have a direct impact on Airmen is something that is close to my heart.”

Having grown up in a military family and now serving himself, Tucek said this has been a “wonderful way to give back to those Airmen and their families who are in need of assistance.”

Tucek has seen up close and personal, most certainly, the tremendous support one of these AFAF-funded organizations can deliver.

“I have quite a vested interest in this campaign; there have been many times throughout my career where I have benefited from the impacts of the Air Force Aid Society,” he said.

The society enhances the Air Force and Space Force missions by providing emergency financial assistance, educational support, and community programs for Air Force and Space Force families.

“Having a dual-military household with three children, we have taken advantage of many of the smaller contributions like ‘Give parents a break’ or ‘Bundles for babies,’ which has given us some much-needed preparation and help during parenthood,” Tucek said.

“As a young Airman, my wife also received an interest-free loan to obtain an airplane ticket home during a family emergency to grieve” for a family member who had passed away, he added. “Without this loan, she would not have been able to provide much-needed support for her mother during that difficult time.”

Donations can be made directly through AFAF’s website at www.afassistancefund.org/index.php/donate, by texting “AFAF” to 50155 or scanning a QR code from one of the many posters around base. Civilians cannot be solicited but are invited to contribute.

The e-giving platforms allow members to donate one time or monthly to any of the four charities using a credit or debit card. The website also provides instructions for sending a check, cashier’s check or money order. Active-duty, retirees and eligible guardsmen/reservists can make a deduction up to 12 months.

Even a $5 donation can go far in somebody’s life, Tucek said. AFAF contributions may be tax-deductible.

For more information, contact a unit project officer. Additional details on AFAF are available at www.afassistancefund.org.

You can also reach out to Tucek at daven.tucek@us.af.mil or Maj. Kristina Coughlin at kristina.coughlin@us.af.mil.

(c)2022 the Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio)

Visit the Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio) at www.daytondailynews.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

(U.S. Air Force)

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