Our Mission

The Callen Foundation provides limited financial assistance to the families for active duty Ohio military families. Through the efforts of our Board of Trustees, several of whom are military veterans, and our Business Partners will attempt to raise as much money for the benefit of these families as possible. 

We provide active duty Ohio military families emergency financial assistance on a rapid basis. Our focus is on those families with the most urgent needs of day to day life such as late utility bills, rent & car payments, food and basic living necessities.  We offer assistance as a  one time evnet.  All referrals for assistance are vetted by only accepting referrals from the Ohio National Guard's Family Assistance Centers located trhoughout Ohio.  In order to be good stewards of our public donations is is our policy to not offer funding to anyone where our gift will not prevent the same situation from occuring at the next billing due date. 

The following are examples of how we can help:

• Direct Financial Help With Utility & Vehicle Payments
• Emergency Medical Bills
• Emergency Food Cards 
• Emergency Home Repairs
• Emergency Travel Assistance
• Emergency Baby Needs 
• Basic Furniture , clothing & Household Items

      Why Should You Help A Family ?- An Article By Our Former Trustee? 

                                    Caps

Author – John Coppel, Past Trustee 

The media message reminding one and all to “thank a Vet” was created and spread widely by guilt ridden Viet Nam War non-Vets. The message was rightfully woven into the national fabric after the appalling lack of respect paid by we non-Vets to VNW Vets during and following their service. Unfortunately, while thanking a Vet is an improvement over deriding one the unspoken second half of the “catch phrase” remains unchanged. The “catch phrase” has changed from “curse a Vet, then forget him” to “thank a Vet, then forget him”. We non-Vets get to feel better about ourselves because we made “thank a Vet” a chapter heading in the PC handbook. But have we improved anything? We made a change but improved nothing. Fortunately we can still improve things and really “thank a Vet” by helping all the Vets. If we can change the spoken and unspoken parts of the “catch phrase” Then we VNW non-Vets and everyone else may have finally gotten it right, and that war can end.  

The media can help by completely focusing their messages on “help a Vet”. The “thank a Vet” message has been so effectively communicated that it has no further use. “Thank a Vet” has become part of the noise pollution of our time. At one time we non-Vet Boomers really did need to be reminded that “thanking a Vet” was the right thing to do. We were clueless about the short and long term negative effects of duty in a war zone, any duty in any war zone. We are still relatively naïve but are now at least aware that war fighting consists of terrifying, brutal, life threatening moments interspersed with days of boredom, stress and loneliness. War prevention is war fighting without the brutality; still risky, stressful and lonely. So yeah we “thank a Vet” now. 

If major media wants to become a relevant contributor to Vet support it needs to refocus its robust communication capabilities on increasing everyone’s awareness about the unmet needs of War On Terrorism Vets. This would be real public service, rather than noise pollution. The WOT Vets might appreciate our thanks but they need our help. 

The KIA numbers from this war considering its length are remarkably low, praise God. The proportion of critically wounded who can now be saved is a large multiple compared even to Korea and Viet Nam. This is a testament to the skill of military medical personnel and an unparalleled commitment to saving warriors‘ lives. Great. Fantastic! But what, besides paying our taxes, are we doing to help WOT Vets, wounded and not, to have a full and useful life as well? 

Many WOT Vets are in horrible, desperate condition mentally, physically and financially. They are in dire straits and need our help, massive amounts, for decades to come. This will be a substantial undertaking requiring a commitment of large amounts of our personal time and treasure. If we seriously want to improve things we need roll up our sleeves and get out our check books. The WOT Vets deserve our help and shame on us if we are unresponsive to the need. Except for the cosmetics we will be neglecting WOT Vets just as surely as we, personally and as individuals, did VNW Vets. 

So let’s have a parade by all means. Let’s have lots of parades. Let’s thank our Vets and love them up as they deserve. But let’s also send money, the more and the sooner the better, to Wounded Warriors, Armed Forces Foundation and similar legitimate Vets aid charities. A good if not well known Vets aid foundation close to home is the Callen Foundation.

Let’s visit our wounded warriors, read to them, teach them a skill, use our talents to help them regain or discover their own. The WOT Vets are and have been there to protect us when we needed them. These Vets, as was the case with VNW Vets and all who came before and since them, understand the importance and meaning behind the words Duty, Honor, Country. That’s no “catch phrase” folks. That’s a blood oath. 

Most of you are probably wondering where “the government” is in all this. Despite what you may have been told and have read and heard all levels of government have been engaged in a dedicated effort to help Vets. Unfortunately the government is simply overwhelmed. One of the side effects of the miracle of modern military medicine is we have hundreds of survivors who would have died in previous conflicts. Now these broken men and women are back amongst us, home. Praise God for their safe return. These Vets want nothing more than those of previous wars did; the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Sure, we can look at them as a burden but why not choose to view them for what they are, miracles in our midst. If we help them now they will more than repay us in the future. 

Talking to Vets and thanking them for their service is such a joy, a joy for us, not an obligation. It’s an opportunity deserving grateful acceptance. Hopefully the exchange brings a bit of joy to the Vet as well. But make no mistake that if you’re thanking a Vet the joy comes from the thanking, not doing a “good deed”. Sure, Vets appreciate the thanks. But Vets don’t NEED our thanks, our praise or our validation. They already know their service is something to be proud of. Why else would they wear the caps? 

If You Wish To Help Please Visit The Callen Foundation website at: www.thecallenfoundation.com

IRS Statement: The Callen Foundation Is A Recognized 501 (c) (3) , Not-For-Profit, Organization Organized In The State Of Ohio Under Certificate Number: 2066256. Federal ID: 45-3912882. Donations To The Callen Foundation May Be Tax Deductible. Please Check With Your Tax Advisor To See If This Applies To You. The IRS advises that it is up to the contributor to estimate the fair market value of his/her donation

Copyright © 2011, The Callen Foundation. All rights reserved. No part of this web site may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever, including Internet usage, without written permission. Use of the logo or logo contents are prohibited without written permission