Help students in your community learn how to receive ALA national scholarships

Do you want to learn more about ALA national scholarships and how to guide students through the process?

Join us online Thursday, Jan. 11, from noon to 12:45 p.m. EST to learn more about ALA national scholarships. Following the webinar, participants will:

• Have a basic understanding of ALA national scholarships
• Know eligibility process for the scholarships
• Guide students in applying

Register now! 

Let the ALA help you earn money for college! 

The American Legion Auxiliary has several scholarships available for students. If you are a student or know someone who qualifies, make sure they apply. Applications for ALA national scholarships are due March 1. Here is what’s available: 

Children of Warriors National Presidents’ Scholarship

Non-Traditional Student Scholarship

Spirit of Youth Scholarship

Junior Member Loyalty Scholarship

Learn more and apply here. 

Send questions to Education@ALAforVeterans.org.

ALA Academy Live: ALA Patch Program

Join us for a Lunch and Learn webinar on Feb. 8 at noon EST.

This webinar will focus on the ALA’s Junior Patch Program. ALA Junior members and school-aged Sons of The American Legion members may earn patches for activities in ALA programs. The Patch Program teaches youth about The American Legion Family, volunteering, and serving veterans, military, and their families.

This workshop will introduce attendees to the ALA’s Junior Patch Program, a valuable tool when working with our Legion Family youth by teaching them about the mission of the Legion Family: helping veterans, servicemembers, and their families.

Reserve your spot today! 

Take advantage of this opportunity in Lincoln, Nebraska!

Only three Mission Training events remain in this ALA administrative year, and two are sold out!

➡️You can still register to attend Lincoln, Neb., on Feb. 3!

Don’t delay: Register for this interactive + fun day of service to the ALA mission all while making new friends! 

Past attendees have returned home with a renewed sense of purpose, creative ideas, and new mission-related activities to initiate in their communities. 

Register for ALA Mission Training today! When you sign up, register your Juniors too!

ALA Juniors can increase their leadership skills and have fun with new friends at the same time! 

While ALA Mission Training is underway, ALA Juniors can gather for a fun-filled day at the national Junior meetings! 

Don’t let the word “meeting” fool you — it’s more like a fun day camp! Juniors will learn about the ALA mission by playing games, making crafts, singing songs, and much more. And for those who love animals (who doesn’t?!) therapy dogs 🦮🐕‍🦺 and their handlers will be on site to talk about how canines assist veterans. 

Don’t let your ALA Junior member miss out on this opportunity. Plan to bring a Junior (or as many as you can fit in your car) with you to Mission Training — register now!

**BONUS: Every ALA Junior who registers gets a FREE T-shirt designed by a fellow Junior!

Spend Martin Luther King Jr. Day in service to others

The Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service is Jan. 15 — a great opportunity for ALA members to serve their communities. Service on this day focuses on empowering individuals, strengthening communities, and creating solutions to social problems.

While making a difference on this day, make sure you’re wearing ALA branded clothing and tag us on social media @ALAforVeterans. 

Enjoy discounts, rewards, and perks on thousands of brands, including Hertz, Sam’s Club, Walt Disney World, Toyota, Skechers, and more! BenefitHub is your single-source site where you can find extensive savings through an easy-to-use, exclusive discount marketplace. Enter the exclusive ALA member referral code HZE7XG when creating your account.

You can now support the mission of the ALA Foundation and save money when you use your Kroger Plus Shopper’s Card! All you need to do is get a Kroger Plus Shopper’s Card at your nearby store or one of their many affiliate stores, enroll your card online, and select the ALA Foundation as your charity of choice. Then, simply scan your card during checkout every time you shop, and Kroger will donate a portion of the purchase to the ALA Foundation. Visit www.krogercommunityrewards.com and scroll down to click “Get Started” in the blue box that reads, “Link Your Shopper’s Card.” 

Here is a list of all participating Kroger Co. family stores: Baker’s, City Market, Dillons, Food 4 Less, Foods Co, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, Gerbes, Jay C Food Store, King Soopers, Kroger, Mariano’s, Metro Market, Pay-Less Super Markets, Pick’n Save, QFC, Ralphs, Ruler, and Smith’s Food and Drug.

Has your membership expired? You can still renew for 2024 and continue serving veterans, military, and their families. You can renew your membership in three easy ways: by phone, online, or mail. Go to www.ALAforVeterans.org, call (317) 569-4570, or mail in your renewal notice.

The Friday before Memorial Day is National Poppy Day® (May 24 this year). It’s never too early to start planning! We’d love to hear from you and make your unit/post home a part of our ALA media coverage. Send us an email and tell us about any of the following:

• What are your plans for National Poppy Day?
• How have you used poppy funds to help veterans, military, and their families?
• Share a success story about how poppy funds helped someone in your community.

Looking for an article from a past issue of Auxiliary magazine? You can find copies dating back to 2010 on our website. For older issues, contact history@ALAforVeterans.org.

Are you following us on Instagram? You may be familiar with our social media accounts on Facebook, but did you know we are on Instagram too? Join us for fun, unique, and mission-related content you won’t see anywhere else! Just search for @ALAforVeterans.

Request to join the official ALA program and committee groups on Facebook

ALA National Headquarters gets ALA license plate approved for Indiana

The American Legion Auxiliary National Headquarters was approved for a Special Group Recognition (SGR) license plate for the first time! The ALA-branded license plate is available to all Indiana residents this registration year, which began Jan. 1. Is your ALA department interested in applying for the same benefit in your state? An SGR plate can promote an organization while using the revenue to improve services provided or special projects. An organization seeking initial participation in the SGR license plate program must submit a completed application, including the required documentation to the BMV. Read more on the ALA blog.

Ideas to encourage volunteer participation — especially with younger ALA members

Americans are spending less time volunteering — and younger people’s dwindling interest in community service has left organizations searching for ways to reach generations that represent the future of their causes. Read the ALA blog for tips on encouraging volunteer participation, especially among younger ALA members.

Jan. 11 – ALA national scholarships webinar

Jan. 15 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Jan. 27 – International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Jan. 27 – ALA Mission Training and National Junior Meeting in Las Vegas, Nev.

February – Black History Month

Feb. 2 – Groundhog Day

Feb. 3 – Four Chaplains Day

Feb. 3 – ALA Mission Training and National Junior Meeting in Lincoln, Neb.

Feb. 3 – ALA Mission Training and National Junior Meeting in Nashville, Tenn.

“People ask me all the time: ‘Why do you do all that if you don’t get paid for it?’ I don’t need to get paid. It just warms my heart that I did something good out there to help people in need, especially our veterans.”

— Michelle Santiago, New York

Legion scholarship for 2024 ALA Girls State and Boys State participants

If you are a high school junior who will be attending an ALA Girls State or American Legion Boys State program this summer, you may be eligible for the Samsung American Legion Scholarship.

The Samsung American Legion Scholarship is available for high school juniors who participate in the current session of ALA Girls State or American Legion Boys State and are a direct descendant (or legally adopted child) of a U.S. military veteran who served honorably on active duty during a period of war (April 6, 1917-Nov. 11, 1918; or Dec. 7, 1941, until a date as determined by Congress).

All applications must be submitted using the online application system. Scholarship applicants must complete and submit their online application prior to 11:59 p.m. (local time) of Day 1 of their respective ALA Girls State or American Legion Boys State program. The 2024 Samsung American Legion Scholarship application is available here. 

Do you want to volunteer at the 2024 National Oratorical Contest Finals?

American Legion National Headquarters is looking for volunteers to help with the 2024 National High School Oratorical Contest Finals in its new location, Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Mich., May 18-19. Needed volunteer positions include judges, escorts, and holding room, and assigned topic room monitors.

Please note that National Headquarters will not provide any financial compensation for time or travel expenses associated with volunteer support. All expenses related to volunteering with the contest, such as travel, housing, and food, are paid for by the volunteer.

The contest features more than 50 high school youth from across the country who deliver prepared speeches on the U.S. Constitution. The support of many volunteers is needed to conduct the contest, which will provide more than $203,500 in college scholarships.

Apply to volunteer! 

Legion Family Merchandise

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American Legion Flag & Emblem Sales.

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The American Legion Legislative Center

The ALA supports the legislative agenda of The American Legion.

Get involved.