The DAV's National Voluntary Service Program

The DAV operates an extensive network of programs through which volunteers provide a variety of services to disabled veterans. During 1998, the organization spent $20,107,107 on these voluntary service initiatives.

One of the largest of these programs is the DAV's nationwide Transportation Network, under which DAV volunteers drive sick and disabled veterans to VA medical facilities for treatment. Many of the veterans who use this program are seeking care for service-connected disabilities. Nearly all the rest are poor and have no other health care resources. It's a clear example of a charitable institution stepping in to meet a substantial community need created upon the withdrawal of a federal program - in this case termination of funds to help many veterans pay for transportation to VA facilities for care.

Under the Transportation Network, 196 Hospital Service Coordinators (HSCs) have been placed in VA medical facilities to run the program locally. As part of the effort, the DAV has purchased 755 vans - 147 in 1998 alone - and donated them to VA hospitals for use in this program. DAV HSCs match volunteer drivers with transportation requests from disabled veterans. When the need was great, the DAV provided a total solution: volunteer drivers, vans where needed, and employees to coordinate the program. In addition, in 1998 the Ford Motor Company donated 12 vans that had been on loan to the DAV the previous year for this program. Ford also donated the use of another 13 vans in 1998 for this program, representing a unique partnership between the DAV and corporate America.

The DAV's National Organization spent $18,127,058 on the Transportation Network in 1998, a financial commitment matched and often exceeded by DAV Chapters and state Departments. But no one can place a dollar value on the time that thousands of DAV and Auxiliary volunteers, with a growing number of compassionate nonmembers, donate to this program. During 1998, they drove 22,660,146 miles, providing 654,256 rides to veterans.

In addition to the 1,319,291 hours volunteered under the Transportation Network during 1998, DAV volunteers contributed another 1,054,738 hours of service to veterans, volunteering at VA hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes under the VA Voluntary Service (VAVS) program.

Because no financial transactions were involved, these volunteer hours are not accounted for as contributions in the DAV's financial report. However, it is worth noting that this volunteer time has a value of $12,492,100 according to the VA, which based its estimate on a formula used by the organization, Independent Sector. That's quite a return on the DAV National Organization's 1998 investment of $1,144,708 on programs conducted as part of its VAVS effort.

In addition to services in VA facilities, DAV volunteers annually contribute approximately one million hours at veterans' medical facilities outside the VA, such as those operated by state governments.

Another VAVS initiative is the DAV hospital entertainment program, featuring NASCAR driver Dale Jarrett, American League Umpire Larry Barnett, and National League Umpire Jerry Layne.

Finally, our organization sponsored the 1998 DAV National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, devoting $335,341 to funding of this program. Over the years, such physical rehabilitation programs have proven their therapeutic value to veterans struggling to overcome the impact of disability.

The work of the DAV's Chapters, Auxiliary Units, state-level Departments, and associated organizations on behalf of disabled veterans in the communities they serve is very substantial. These programs range from initiatives for homeless veterans to advocacy to remove barriers to handicapped people, from assisting elderly veterans with chores or driving severely disabled veterans to the store or bank. The variety of such service is endless.

In an effort to encourage even greater DAV involvement in the lives of veterans at the state and community level, the DAV National Service Foundation established the Colorado Trust. Through this Trust, Chapters and Departments that are well-funded are providing invaluable help to other Chapters and Departments that lack funds to support their service programs. In addition to these contributions to the Colorado Trust, the DAV's National Organization provided another $500,000, in part for the purchase of Transportation Network vans.

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 If you are tired of sitting home doing nothing you might think about becoming a volunteer driver for our Transportation Network Van, Driving one day a week, or month, or when you can transporting fellow veteran patients from the Pensacola Outpatient Clinic to Biloxi, MS. medical center for treatment they can't get here.  Tell your friends.  Being a veteran is not a requirement.  Contact the DAV Service Officer, B.J. Bullard, at the Outpatient Clinic to sign up. Phone 850-471-7676  FAX 850-479-7649

Notice !!! we need volunteer drivers for the newly established shuttle route from VAOPC South (the main clinic) to the new VAOPC North