Happy
107th
Birthday
A
Safety
Net
for
Sailors,
Marines
&
Their
Families
in
Times
of
War,
Peace,
Personal
Tragedy
&
Natural
Disaster
One
of
the
Navy’s
and
Marine
Corps’
oldest
and
closest
friends
is
another
year
older,
and
always
ready
to
lend
a
helping
hand
to
active
and
retired
Sailors,
Marines
and
their
families
in
times
of
financial
need.
The
Navy-Marine
Corps
Relief
Society
(NMCRS)
operate
around
the
world,
serving
where
you
serve
-
24/7.
Founded
107
years
ago
on
January
23,
1904,
to
care
for
our
widows
and
orphans,
the
19
original
volunteers
and
$9,000
(the
Navy’s
share
of
gate
receipts
from
the
1903
Army-Navy
football
game),
laid
the
foundation
of
the
Society
that
has
served
over
4
million
Sailors,
Marines
and
families,
providing
over
$1.1
billion
in
assistance.
Today,
we
are
still
Sailors
and
Marines
taking
care
of
our
own.
We
are
a
private,
non-profit
charity
with
more
than
3,500
talented
and
dedicated
volunteers
supported
by
a
small
professional
staff
who
serve
afloat
and
ashore
around
the
world.
With
a
smile,
enthusiasm
and
compassion,
“we
are
dedicated
to
the
military
and
we
strive
to
help
whoever
comes
through
our
doors,
“
said
Deborah
Hunt,
Chairman
of
Volunteers
at
NMCRS
China
Lake.
In
the
last
ten
years,
the
Society
has
disbursed
more
than
$400
million
in
interest-free
loans
and
grants
to
nearly
600,000
Sailors,
Marines
and
families.
During
2010
alone,
the
Society
provided
$49.4
million
in
financial
relief
helping
over
99,850
clients
–
the
highest
number
of
clients
and
assistance
since
1993
when
our
Navy
and
Marine
Corps
was
significantly
larger.
That
means
that
nearly
one
out
of
five
Sailors
and
Marines
on
active
duty
turned
to
NMCRS
during
the
past
12
months.
Since
1904
the
NMCRS
has
supported
Navy
and
Marine
Corps
families
in
times
of
war,
peace,
natural
disaster
and
personal
tragedy,
taking
care
of
the
essential
needs
of
our
warriors,
their
families
and
survivors,
and
helping
to
ensure
those
in
uniform
are
able
to
remain
focused
on
their
mission.
The
Society’s
Combat
Casualty
Assistance
Visiting
Nurses
are
now
serving
as
long
term
case
coordinators,
providing
resource
information
and
referral
services
and
emotional
support
to
more
than
1,000
Marines
and
Sailors
injured
in
the
war
in
Iraq
and
Afghanistan
and
their
families.
During
the
past
year,
the
Society
staff
assisted
583
combat
casualty
clients
with
$216,221.18
in
financial
assistance
–
most
of
this
is
in
the
form
of
grants.
The
funds
to
pay
for
these
critically
important
services
come
predominantly
from
two
sources:
the
Department
of
the
Navy’s
Active
Duty
Fund
Drive
and
the
Secretary
of
the
Navy’s
direct
mail
campaign
to
retirees,
both
conducted
annually
during
March.
These
two
activities
generate
roughly
$12
million
in
charitable
gifts.
The
Society
also
receives
bequests,
memorials,
donations
from
Navy
and
Marine
Corps
balls,
community
events,
return
on
investments,
receipts
from
thrift
shop
sales,
revenue
from
the
repayment
of
loans
and
spontaneous,
unsolicited
donations
from
corporations,
organizations
and
individuals
through
the
mail
and
Society
web
site.
“The
Navy-Marine
Corps
Relief
Society
is
an
integral
part
of
the
network
of
support
that
our
Sailors
and
Marines
depend
upon,”
said
Ray
Mabus,
Secretary
of
the
Navy.
Please
consider
the
Navy-Marine
Corps
Relief
Society
your
first
resource.
Remember,
NMCRS
loans
are
interest-free.
To
find
out
more
about
this
organization
–
how
the
staff
can
help
you
and
to
learn
about
volunteer
opportunities
–
visit
the
local
office
on
your
base,
or
visit
their
web
site
at
www.nmcrs.org
.
Demand
for
our
services
is
high
and
they
especially
need
your
support
right
now.
After
all,
blowing
out
107
candles
is
no
small
feat.
Happy
Birthday
NMCRS!
