For Guard Families

“I would like to express my gratitude to Guard Support for the grant to cover the expenses I incurred while visiting my husband at West Point while he was recovering from an injury. Just when I think I can’t feel any more proud of being a soldier’s wife, I am reminded time and again by organizations, such as yours. Words can not express my appreciation. Our citizen-soldiers are lucky to be able to depend on Guard Support in times of need. Thank you again for all your help.”
— Alisa Harvie, Wife of SGT Kevin P. Harvie

Read more of our testimonials »

Are you an unemployed Mass. Guard member?
Check out our new Hire Guard program.

We provide two main grant programs that directly assist families:

Guard Support provides the funds and the grants are administered by State Family Program Office or the Family Assistance Center Coordinator (see below for the application process).

These grants are meant as gifts to the families and no repayment is expected. We want to help. We appreciate the fact that you are carrying this burden for all of us.

“I just wanted to thank you for all your help. It makes my family and I sleep better at night knowing there are wonderful and caring people out there like you.”
— Anonymous, Massachusetts Army National Guardsman

 

Emergency Financial Relief Grants — for individual families

For families that face emergency needs when a loved one is deployed, or about to be deployed, we can provide some immediate help.

Qualifying Needs:

Examples of emergency needs include:

  • Child care or elder care
  • Utilities (heat, water, gas and electric)
  • Funeral expenses
  • Housing (rent or mortgage to avoid eviction or foreclosure)
  • Medical insurance co-pay
  • Telephone
  • Emergency travel expenses related to serious illness, injury or death
  • Vehicle payment (to prevent repossession)

Other types of need may qualify. Emergency Financial Relief Grants do not exceed $500, except in unusual circumstances. Approved grant disbursements are paid directly to third-party payees. As of March 31, 2011, Guard Support has disbursed Emergency Financial Relief grants to more than 200 Massachusetts National Guard families.

Contact your local aid officer if you have any questions and for assistance in completing the grant application.

Steps Required:

Guard Support provides emergency financial relief through the State Family Program Office or the Family Assistance Center Coordinator. The following steps are required:

  1. Download this application for Emergency Financial Relief, print it and fill it out completely. (Do not leave any questions unanswered as that may result in grant denial or delay.)
  2. Call the nearest State Family Program Office or the Family Assistance Center Coordinator (the information is also in the application) and make an appointment.
  3. For your appointment with a staff person in that office, bring your application and bills and invoices that you are seeking assistance in paying with you. Please be sure that all bills and invoices include the payment remittance address and account number (if applicable).
  4. The staff person will process your application and guide you from there.
 

Family Readiness Group Grants

Family Readiness Groups (FRG) help families cope with deployment. Guard Support is the only organization that consistently provides FRG grants to qualifying Family Readiness Groups of the Massachusetts National Guard. Guard Support FRG grant proceeds are primarily used for support group meeting expenses, send-off ceremonies, homecoming celebrations and educational programs and special events for the children.

Guard Support provides FRG grants of up to $1,000 per year for a FRG of a deployed unit. (For not-yet-deployed units, we provide Start-up FRG grants of $500 per FRG a year. Once the unit is mobilized, the FRG can apply for an additional $500 FRG grant — please note a new FRG grant application must be completed for each grant award requested). As of March 31, 2011, Guard Support has awarded FRG grants to 79 Mass. National Guard Family Readiness Groups.

Qualifying Needs

Some examples of Family Readiness Group needs that have received our assistance in the past:

  • Special events for children (i.e. holiday parties, museum trips, craft making activities)
  • Welcoming troops back home parties
  • Support group meetings (i.e. postage, supplies, refreshments)
  • Educational programs
  • ”Night out“ events for parents
  • Summer BBQ for families
  • T-shirts and wrist bands commemorating the unit which may be used as fundraisers for the FRG

Steps Required

If you are a Family Readiness Group and need more funding for your efforts, Guard Support wants to help. Take the following steps:

  1. Download this application for Family Readiness Groups, and fill it out completely. (Incomplete applications may be delayed or denied.)
  2. Call the nearest State Family Program Office or the Family Assistance Center Coordinator (the information is also in the application) and make an appointment.
  3. For your appointment with a staff member in that office, bring your application in with you.
  4. The staff person will process your application and guide you from there.
  5. FRG leaders are encouraged to review and share with their FRG members the Guard and Reservist Family Readiness Programs Toolkit — For Family Members

Contact your local aid officer if you have any questions and for assistance in completing the grant application.

 
A soldier poses with his family

State Family Program Offices/Family Assistance Centers

View the current list of Family Assistance Centers.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact us.

Other Programs

In September 2010, Guard Support launched the Hire Guard program to link unemployed Guard members to employment opportunities. Several partnering companies and organizations are actively seeking qualified Massachusetts National Guard members to apply for their open positions. If you know an unemployed Mass. Guard member(s) seeking employment, please ask him or her to contact us about the Hire Guard program.

We are also considering building other programs, in conjunction with other organizations, in a wide range of areas. If there are areas where you think we can help — by pulling our neighbors together, we are always looking for ideas — please let us know.