By Margaret Briller
Charlie, a 90-year-old Korean War veteran, recently started getting $2,050 a month in supplemental government benefits after meeting with a volunteer from the Cleveland American Veterans Association (C.A.V.A.) a nonprofit group that helps those who served receive the benefits they need and deserve.
Supported entirely through donations, C.A.V.A. may not be as well-known as other groups that aid veterans, but its work packs a big economic punch for those who need it, especially here in Northeast Ohio, home to 130,000 veterans, many elderly, disabled or homeless.
“I am so grateful for C.A.V.A.’s help. I never would have been able to complete all the necessary paperwork on my own. This money will go a long way in helping me pay my rent here for assisted living,” says Charlie.
One aspect of C.A.V.A.’s work is helping veterans like Charlie and their families apply for the Aid and Attendance program, part of the needs-based pension supplement through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Its benefits can be used by a veteran or surviving spouse who needs help with daily needs such as bathing, eating and other care.
C.A.V.A. president Molly Carlin has been with the group since 2010. “We cut through the bureaucracy for you. Our job is to first, see if you are eligible, assist in obtaining your military discharge papers if you don’t have your DD-214 document, collect supporting documentation, and complete the VA application. If necessary, we supply the VA with further requests for documentation until the final approval.”
She adds, “We help remove that frustration and worry by serving you with the same honor and integrity with which you served our country. And there are no costs associated with these services.”
A veteran, his/her spouse or a surviving spouse can qualify for Aid and Attendance benefits if they reside in an assisted living facility or if they are living at home and require the assistance of a caregiver, Carlin says.
Recipients must:
- Be a wartime veteran with 90 days of active duty, one day beginning or ending during a Congressionally declared war
- Be 65 years of age or older
- Have a medical condition that requires assistance with daily living activities that are not service-connected
- Meet the income-to-medical expense ratio
- Meet Asset requirements (primary residence, one vehicle and personal possessions are not included as assets)
In addition, the eligibility requirements encompass wartime periods: World War II, 12/7/1941-12/31/1946; Korean Conflict, 6/27/1950-1/31/1955; and Vietnam Era, 8/5/1964-5/7/1975 (for veterans who served “in country,” eligibility begins 2/28/1961).
C.A.V.A.’s long-term goal is to establish housing for veterans and their spouses who are in traditional care or independent care facilities. Organizers want to build new or rehab existing buildings and homes within specific neighborhoods so that veterans can continue to stay close to home.
C.A.V.A. is a private, nonprofit organization. Contributions can be made by check, payable to C.A.V.A. and mailed to Cleveland American Veterans Association, 1440 Rockside Rd., Suite 118A, Parma, OH 44134. Learn more at cava4vets.org.
More Groups That Help Veterans:
- Disabled American Veterans (D.A.V.)
Created in 1920 by World War I veterans for disabled U.S. vets, the D.A.V. helps more than one million veterans find jobs and access health care, education, disability and other benefits. dav.org - Fisher House Foundation
Provides free housing for families of patients receiving medical care at major military and VA medical centers. Ohio has four Fisher Houses, including one in Cleveland. fisherhouse.org - Purple Heart Homes
Provides housing solutions for service-connected disabled and aging veterans through the Veterans’ Aging In Place and Veterans Home Opportunity Programs. Work ranges from building a ramp for a World War II veteran to providing homeownership opportunities to younger veterans. Contact the Northeast Ohio chapter at [email protected]
Margaret Briller is a freelance writer in Northeast Ohio and a proud auxiliary member of the American Legion Post 91 and the Veteran of Foreign Wars Post 3345.
