ARMing Heroes Celebrates Five Years Helping Veterans
Collection industry charity has donated more than $100,000 to military veterans in need since its inception in 2009.
ARMing Heroes, the collection industry’s charity for military veterans, reached a major milestone this month, celebrating five years of helping vets struggling with financial problems. Since its inception in March 2009, donors have generously donated more than $100,000 to the grant-making program. No less than 99.5 percent of funds raised in 2013 have been paid out to the creditors of veterans or pledged for specific purposes in 2014, making the charity an extremely low-overhead, efficient way for donors to help military veterans with challenges unique to the collection industry.
During its five years of service, ARMing Heroes has provided grants to more than 50 military veterans, helping them overcome the serious financial hardships they’ve had to endure since returning to civilian life. Most grant recipients face service-connected disabilities, unemployment and delinquent debt, and have turned to ARMing Heroes, hoping for much-needed help to ease their financial burdens and get their lives back on track.
For one such vet, Sgt. Aaron Olivas, this couldn’t be more the case. Olivas served in the US Army from 2006-12, earning more than his share of awards and decorations along the way, including an Army Commendation Medal, a Global War on Terrorism Medal, a National Defense Service Medal and more.
After his honorable discharge in 2012, Olivas separated from the Army and returned home to his wife and two children with a 100 percent disability rating, unable to work. They had lost their home to foreclosure, his wife was forced to leave her job to care for him, and they quickly fell into a serious financial situation that seemed impossible to overcome.
The Olivas family wants nothing more than to pursue the American dream of owning a home, but Aaron knew that would be impossible even through a Veterans Administration loan without first repairing his credit. Seemingly out of options, he applied for a grant from ARMing Heroes, and in December of last year, he received news that his application was approved.
“I just want to say thank you so much to ARMing Heroes,” Olivas said. “With losing our home, and me being injured, my family has been through so many ups and downs. By paying off our debt, we will finally be able to get back on track and work towards buying the house we dream of. I’m so thankful for what ARMing Heroes has done for our family. This will allow us to move forward and recover from our wounds.”
Source: ACA
