<p> BUDGET MESSAGE</p><p>2270 FAIRFIELD VETERANS ADVISORY AND INFORMATION SERVICE</p><p>The Fairfield Veterans Advisory and Information Center provides financial assistance to meet or help meet the health and maintenance needs of qualifying veterans and their widows. Help is expended for the purpose of furnishing food, wearing apparel, medical and hospital care, mortgage interest, rent, utilities and funeral expenses to qualifying Veterans who demonstrate a need This year saw the American Legion Department of Connecticut assume full responsibility for the management and staffing of the Soldiers’, Sailors’ & Marines Fund (SSMF) after the state legislature cut the administrative budget by 50%. The Advisory and Information Center is grateful for the continued support from SSMF and the National Veterans Advisory Fund for the financial assistance they provide our veterans and surviving spouses.</p><p>Grants received to date this year through the efforts of the Advisory Center total $118,480.00. Sources of funding were:</p><p>Soldiers, Sailors & Marines Fund $22,689.00 National Veterans Service Fund $ 3,265.00 Veterans Administration New Disability $ 5,641.00 Continuing Disability $82,528.00 Pension $ 4,357.00 $118,480.00</p><p>Of last year’s pending claims filed with the VA, the widow’s pension was denied and one disability rating was increased from 60% to 100%, This year, three applications remain pending: one for compensation from Agent Orange filed August 2013 (VA lost the paperwork and he had to reapply), and two applications for Aid and Attendance filed in July 2013 and May 2014.</p><p>In addition to financial assistance, the director is actively involved in community outreach to inform veterans of their benefits through public presentations. Working relationships having been established with the social services department at the Senior Center, including orientation meetings with Teresa Giegengack, the new director and two new social workers, the Homes for the Brave, and St Vincent’s Hospital.</p><p>The director attends annual training sessions with the American Legion Department Service Officer in an attempt to keep up with the ever- changing VA rules and procedures. </p><p>We thank the Town of Fairfield, which provides the Director and Assistant Director with the funds to run the office. We expended $3,385.17 of the $3.420.00 received from the Town in 2013-14 and are requesting the same for FY 2015.</p>