Programs

If you are a veteran and having a problem finding a job, please use the following link and let the VFW help:       www.vetjobs.com

The Buddy Poppy

Poppies are distributed free and donations accepted by persons wanting to assist veterans in need. All donations are used exclusively for veteran assistance.

For more than 75 years, the VFW's Buddy Poppy program has raised millions of dollars in support of veterans' welfare and the well being of their dependents.

The VFW conducted its first poppy distribution before Memorial Day in 1922, becoming the first veterans' organization to organize a nationwide distribution. The poppy soon was adopted as the official memorial flower of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States.

It was during the 1923 encampment that the VFW decided that VFW Buddy Poppies be assembled by disabled and needy veterans who would be paid for their work to provide them with some form of financial assistance. The plan was formally adopted during the VFW's 1923 encampment. The next year, disabled veterans at the Buddy Poppy factory in Pittsburgh assembled VFW Buddy Poppies. The designation "Buddy Poppy" was adopted at that time.

Today, VFW Buddy Poppies are still assembled by disabled and needy veterans in VA Hospitals.

VFW Scholarship Programs
Scholarship Deadlines:
Voice of Democracy-November 1
Patriots' Pen Youth Essay-November 1
Scouting Scholarship-March 1

Every year, hundreds of thousands of students participate in the Voice of Democracy Scholarship Competion and the Patriot's Pen Essay Contest garnering more than $3.4 million in scholarships and incentives.

In addition, the VFW honors an outstanding scout through the VFW Scout of the Year Scholarship program.

Community Service

Constructive community service is a founding VFW tenet with volunteerism benefiting education, the environment, health sciences and civic projects. The VFW's citizenship education program is designed to stimulate an interest in America's history, its traditions and institutions, as well as promote patriotism. The VFW also partners with the National Rifle Association, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, International Association of Firefighters and the Salvation Army.