AFAS Virtual Schooling Grant provides a sense of relief during the pandemic
Senior Airman Pamela Poirier joined the Air Force to complete her education and to provide stability for her son. Her Air Force experience has been slightly challenging since she and her son has had to move away from family. “I didn’t have my parent’s support, but I quickly formed a family within my unit that I knew I could depend on,” says SrA Poirier. “No matter the challenges you face, you can always find a family within your unit or base that’ll be there for you, support, and guide you,” she says.
She heard about the Air Force Aid Society from a coworker who had applied for an emergency assistance no-interest loan. Due to the pandemic, her significant other lost his job, and her family’s income shifted from a dual-income household to a single-income household. Air Force Aid Society’s Virtual Schooling Grant could not have come at a better time because she needed help to pay for her son’s school supplies.
In response to the pandemic, AFAS developed the Virtual Schooling Grant to help Air Force families with expenses by providing $250 to offset virtual schooling costs for dependents in grades K through 12.
SrA Poirier applied and received the grant. “AFAS is for Airmen, no matter the situation, they are here to help and ease our minds,” SrA Poirier says “AFAS is here to help, they don’t judge our circumstances and they try their best to help.”
She is grateful for the generous AFAS grant. “Thank you, your donation gave me peace of mind during an already stressful time during this pandemic,” says SrA Poirier.
The Air Force Aid Society is the official charity of the U.S. Air Force and has been meeting the unique needs of Airmen and their families since 1942. AFAS works to support and enhance the USAF mission by providing emergency financial assistance, educational support, and community programs. Since 2008, AFAS has provided more than $215 million in direct support to Air Force families. Visit www.afas.org to learn more, apply for assistance or to donate.