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DAV Auxiliary Programs

The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Auxiliary supports ill, injured, and disabled veterans and their families through dedicated community service, advocacy, and financial assistance. Programs include educational scholarships, caregiver support, youth development, and volunteer initiatives within VA hospitals and local neighborhoods.

DAV Auxiliary Core Programs

  • Education Scholarships & Training: Offers annual scholarships up to $2,500 for full-time students and $750 for part-time students. They also provide vocational and training assistance to disabled veterans, spouses, and children to cover course registration, lab fees, and books. 

  • DAVA 4 Kids: Provides grants up to $500 per year to children of disabled veterans to assist with expenses for summer camps (such as Camp Corral) or other special activities. 

  • Family Assistance Program: Designed to assist ill, injured, or disabled veterans and their immediate families who are experiencing dire financial hardship. 

  • Caregiver Initiative & Support: Focuses on veteran caregivers by providing vital respite care, advocacy, and tailored resources to alleviate the burden of daily caregiving tasks. 

  • Voluntary Service (VAVS): Auxiliary members provide countless hours of volunteer work at VA Medical Centers, nursing homes, and clinics. Members also support the DAV Transportation Network by driving and coordinating vans to get veterans to medical appointments. 

  • Local Veterans Assistance Program (LVAP): Empowers volunteers to help veterans in their immediate communities with household tasks, such as yard work, snow shoveling, cooking, and minor repairs. 

  • Junior Activities: Encourages youth (ages 17 and under) to participate in civic events, flag ceremonies, parades, and holiday events while offering opportunities to serve as pages at national conventions. 

Key Pillars of the Americanism Program

  • Patriotic Education: Units distribute educational materials regarding proper flag etiquette, the history of patriotic holidays, and the Constitution. 

  • Flag Programs: Members frequently donate American flags to schools and community centers, while also conducting flag retirement ceremonies. 

  • Citizenship Promotion: Auxiliaries foster an appreciation for democracy and the rights guaranteed by the U.S. government. 

  • Community Outreach: By engaging with youth and the broader public, the program builds a stronger, more connected community that respects and supports those who served.

Community Service: Core Volunteer Activities

Volunteers fulfill diverse, localized needs to ensure veterans remain independent and cared for:

  • Home Maintenance: Mowing lawns, shoveling snow, and performing basic repairs.

  • Caregiver Respite: Spending time with homebound veterans to allow primary caregivers a break.

  • Family Support: Helping with back-to-school drives for children of deployed or fallen service members.

  • Hospital Assistance: Volunteering directly at VA medical facilities or driving disabled veterans to doctor appointments.

The DAV (Disabled American Veterans) Auxiliary offers youth development primarily through its Junior Activities Program and DAVA 4 Kids Grants, aimed at instilling patriotism, unselfishness, and good citizenship in children of military families

Junior Membership & Activities

Children 17 and under are eligible for complimentary membership in the DAV Auxiliary. This program allows youth to engage with their communities and learn the value of service through hands-on volunteerism.

  • Leadership Roles: Junior members can form their own units and elect their own commanders and vice commanders.

  • Volunteer Opportunities: Participants assist at local nursing homes, VA medical centers, parades, and flag ceremonies.

  • Fundraising: Juniors learn practical skills by running their own projects like bake sales, car washes, and paper drives to fund recreation and community service

DAVA 4 Kids Grants

This program assists children (from age 3 through high school) whose parent or legal guardian is a disabled or ill veteran.

  • Extracurriculars: Grants of up to $500 per year can be used to help pay for sports, band, JROTC, and school trips.

  • Camp Funding: The program helps cover expenses for military children to attend specialty camps

Scholarships

For older youths and community-minded students, the DAV Auxiliary also offers an Educational Scholarship Program for continued education at accredited colleges, universities, or vocational schools.

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