Guilford Veterans Donate Portion Of Coronavirus Stimulus Checks

GUILFORD, CT — When American Legion Post 48 finance officer Fred Brisbois sent his letter to members, he included this quote: “Ten percent of life is what happens to you, 90 percent of life is how you respond.”

How the post is responding to the coronavirus pandemic is by taking the idea of paying it forward to the next level.

Veterans at American Legion Post 48 in Guilford are giving a portion of their federal stimulus checks to the post’s new "Pay Forward Fund." The fund will be used to help support the Guilford Food Bank, the Guilford Community Fund, for veterans in “financial distress or any other organization the membership decides we should support.”

"Most of the membership is in the COVID-19 high-risk category due to age and underlying medical conditions, so we could not volunteer any physical support to the community," Brisbois said.

In his letter to the membership, Brisbois suggested the fund be created with an initial $500 from the post’s cash account, and then he asked that “all post members donate a portion of their forthcoming government stimulus checks that we are about to receive.”

Explaining how the pandemic is “causing severe economic hardship for so many,” he suggested that the post do what it can, noting that the American Legion is a community-based organization with a distinguished history of community leadership.

“I ask that each member of Post 48 consider donating a portion of their stimulus check to this special fund that we can use to help our community,” he wrote. “As veterans, we all have already given some, but I ask that you consider giving again in the form of donating a portion of your stimulus check to help our community.”

And members, who are nearly all in the coronavirus high-risk category, have given. And given.

Brisbois said that "most of the membership are elderly, and a majority use standard mail delivery versus email. For those that I did send emails to, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Since we don’t have a website to solicit donations online, we are relying on ‘snail mail’ to deliver the solicitations and having checks mailed to me. Once I get the check, I deposit into the fund electronically. Mailing did not go out until last week, and as of yesterday’s mail I had responses from about 10 percent, all with checks. The fund balance as of Tuesday was $1,250."

Photo by Fred Brisbois

Brisbois’ hope is that when the community sees that veterans have stepped up, residents too will donate.

Saying he hopes that the effort will grow and the post will develop the capability for online donations; in the meantime, donations should be sent to the post.

For those in the community looking to contribute, Brisbois said the tax-deductible donations may be sent to Fred Brisbois, American Legion Post 48, 223 Flat Meadow Road, Guilford, CT 06437. Checks should be made out to American Legion Post 48.

In closing his letter to the post membership, Brisbois shared another quote: “You cannot change the wind, but you can always adjust your sails.”

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