RIVER VALLEY DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS

The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) is an organization of disabled veterans dedicated to improving the lives of disabled veterans and their families. The DAV accomplishes this goal by providing free assistance to veterans in helping them obtain disability benefits and VA services that they earned through their military service. We do this at no charge to the veteran. The DAV helps veterans with financial needs like rent, mortgage payments, gas, water, heating and electric bills, car repairs and groceries, and motel rooms for those who are homeless. The DAV helps veterans throughout the state when a need arises. The DAV spends between $45,000 and $50,000 helping veterans with financial needs and processing claims every year. In addition, we provide transportation for veterans who need assistance getting to VA facilities in Conway, Little Rock, and North Little Rock at no cost to the veteran. Three ways we raise money is the DAV Big Bass Fishing tournament, selling raffle tickets, and Forget Me Not flower donations. The DAV is not a government agency, and we are not a member of the United Way. All our workers are volunteers. In 2021, John Thurston, Arkansas Secretary of State, presented our chapter with the Diamond Award, the highest honor his office can bestow, in recognition of our dedication and service to veterans. The money we raise is shared with the state DAV to assist veterans located in other parts of the state where there is no chapter. Without community support, we would not be able to keep our commitment to our veterans.