Mission Statement

The American Legion Auxiliary Foundation positively impacts the lives of our veterans, military, and their families by funding programs of the American Legion Auxiliary today and for future generations.

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ABOUT THE ALA FOUNDATION

Founded in 2007, the purpose of the American Legion Auxiliary Foundation is to assist in carrying out the educational, charitable, and other exempt purposes of the Auxiliary by raising funds for, assisting in conduct of, and providing support to the Auxiliary programs. As a 501(c)(3) public benefit corporation, the ALA Foundation provides a resource to engage additional investors interested in supporting our mission. It is a way to secure our legacy and heritage of Service Not Self, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for future generations of veterans, military, and their families.

OUR WORK

AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY MISSION ENDOWMENT FUND

The American Legion Auxiliary Mission Endowment Fund is not only great security for the ALA, but it ensures ALA members and donors that the ALA will be there for the long haul. Endowed funds can sustain organizations with invaluable financial support through unstable times.
When you donate to the Mission Endowment Fund, that money is invested: At the end of the year, a portion of the money goes to the American Legion Auxiliary Foundation to fund programs like ALA Girls Nation, while the remaining assets are retained in the fund so it can continue to grow. This fund is designed to keep the principal untouched. The larger the principal balance, the larger the investment dividends grow and the more the ALA Foundation can support ALA programs and granting initiatives. Donating to the Mission Endowment Fund, in a way, is the ultimate gift to the ALA.

Donate to the Mission Endowment Fund

VETERAN PROJECTS FUND

The American Legion Auxiliary Foundation’s Veteran Projects Fund (VPF) was implemented in 2013 to help support projects that meet the needs of veterans, military, and their families. VPF grants are awarded up to $10,000 to eligible American Legion Auxiliary tax-exempt entities — units, districts/counties, and departments (states) — for projects that meet a new, one-time need.

The Veteran Projects Fund gives ALA entities an opportunity to begin a new volunteer initiative or forge partnerships with organizations that provide services directly to veterans, like a transitional housing facility, and make a substantial impact in a positive way. Examples of previously awarded Veteran Projects Fund grants:

  • $10,000 to ALA Unit 186 in South Carolina for a building addition to the North Strand Housing Shelter, a transitional housing facility for veterans and their families.
  • $9,317 to ALA Unit 492 in Indiana for four blanket-warming cabinets, one for each floor of the Indiana Veterans Home.
  • $9,274 to ALA Unit 132 in Maine for 40 Samsung Galaxy tablets, screen protectors, cases, and headphone sets benefitting residents at the Maine Veterans Home.
  • $5,880 to the ALA 6th District in New York for a wheelchair bicycle for the New York State Veterans Home.
Donate to the Veteran Projects Fund
Apply for a Veteran Projects Fund Grant

VETERANS CREATIVE ARTS FESTIVAL

Co-presented by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the American Legion Auxiliary, the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival is the culmination of VA facility competitions in art, creative writing, dance, drama, and music for veterans enrolled in the VA national health care system. Veterans exhibit their artwork, original writings, or perform musical, dance, or dramatic selections in a live stage show performance. All veterans invited to participate are selected winners of a national creative arts competition in which thousands of veterans enter through VA medical facilities nationwide.

VA medical facilities incorporate creative arts into their therapy programs to further the rehabilitation goals for both inpatients and outpatients. This annual competition recognizes the progress and recovery made through that therapy and raises the visibility of the creative achievements of our nation’s veterans.

In addition to the national Festival, the American Legion Auxiliary Foundation offers local Veterans Creative Arts Festival grants to ALA entities (units, districts/counties, and departments). If your unit or department hosts a local Veterans Creative Arts Festival or offers art therapy courses in partnership with a participating National Veterans Creative Arts Festival VA medical facility, grant funds up to $2,500 may be awarded for needs that contribute to these efforts.

Donate to the Veterans Creative Arts Festival
Apply for a Veterans Creative Arts Festival Grant

SUBGRANTS

The American Legion Auxiliary Foundation can serve as a recipient of grant funding for units, districts/counties, and departments from a foundation, corporation, or entity that requires the recipient to be a 501(c)(3). The ALA Foundation will then, in turn, subgrant those funds to the ALA entity according to the terms and conditions of the grantor. The ALA Foundation will consider only third-party subgrants that support the mission of the ALA.

Apply for a Subgrant

ALA Foundation Board Members

Cathleen MacInnes, Foundation President

Cathleen MacInnes, of Rochester, N.Y., has been an American Legion Auxiliary member for more than four decades. She has held numerous leadership positions at the unit, district, department, and national levels, including ALA Department of New York president. MacInnes has more than 25 years of managerial experience in healthcare financial services, with provider, payer, and contractor organizations. She has served on multiple boards, including 12 years on the Board of Visitors for the New York State Home for Veterans and the Wayne ARC Board of Directors and 30 years on the ALA Department of New York Executive Committee.

Diane Duscheck, Foundation Vice President

Diane Duscheck, of Whitefish Bay, Wis., joined the American Legion Auxiliary through her father, Roland Duscheck, a WWII veteran. Duscheck has held numerous leadership positions at the unit, district, department, and national levels, including 2017-2018 National President. She retired in June 2014 after a 34-year career teaching seventh and eighth grade science in both parochial and public schools. Duscheck was her school’s union representative for 12 years. Besides her volunteerism with the American Legion Auxiliary, she also serves at the Mitchell Park Horticultural Domes and Easter Seals-Wisconsin.

Anne Parker, Foundation Secretary

Anne Parker, of Ocala, Fl., has been an ALA member for 13 years and held numerous leadership positions at the unit, department, and national levels including 2014-2015 Department of South Carolina president. Parker has spent much of her career as an office manager and bookkeeper. She has also served on numerous volunteer positions including the North Strand Housing Shelter board of directors and on the National Finance Committee for Blue Star Mothers of America.

Terri Wallace, Foundation Treasurer

Terri Wallace, of Bloomfield, N.Y., has served as an educator in New York for 31 years as a classroom teacher, professional development trainer/presenter, and administrator. She has served on the New York State Staff Development Council and Learning Forward New York Board of Directors for 25 years and the New York State Computer and Technology in Education Board of Directors for eight years. Terri joined the American Legion Auxiliary through her husband, Robert Wallace, a U.S. Army veteran. She has been an ALA member for 17 years, holding numerous leadership positions at the unit and national levels.

Carrie Davenport, Elected Director

Carrie Davenport, of Dunkirk, N.Y., serves as an educator and instructional coach in the New York public school system. She has been an American Legion Auxiliary member since 2004 and held multiple positions at the unit, county, department and national levels, including ALA Empire Girls State chair and ALA Girls Nation Vice Chair. She has served on multiple boards including the Children’s Dream Factory of Central New York.

Lauralee Gooch, Elected Director

Lauralee Gooch, of Los Angeles, Ca., has been an ALA member for 3 years, currently serving at the unit level as vice president, where she has helped her unit achieve financial independence. At the national level, Gooch currently serves as a member of the newly formed ALA Code of Ethical Conduct Special Committee. Gooch is a corporate lawyer, with more than 10 years of experience providing governance and fundraising advice to nonprofit and corporate boards.

Ann Fournier, Elected Director

Ann Fournier of Berkley, MA., is a retired Special Education teacher with more than 35 years’ experience. She retired as a call firefighter paramedic with the rank of Captain. She has spent several years in foreign countries as a missionary. Ann joined the American Legion Auxiliary through her brothers Dwight and James, US Army veterans. She has been an ALA member for 37 years, holding numerous leadership positions at the unit and national levels. She brings with her over 30 years of nonprofit board experience.

Kaye Hirst, Elected Director

Kaye Hirst, of Salisbury, N. C., has been an ALA member for 38 years and held numerous leadership positions at the unit, district, and division, in addition to serving as the ALA North Carolina Girls State Chair for 28 years. Hirst spent much of her career working with non-profit organizations, including spending 21 years as an Executive Director at the Rowan Museum. She has also served in numerous volunteer positions including currently serving as a chair on the Historic Organ Church Foundation and on the community advisory panel for the Azko-Nobel and Henkel Corporations.

Danielle Applegate, Elected Director

Danielle Applegate is a Director at IT Concepts, an 8(a) service- disabled, veteran-owned small business. Prior to bringing her 25 years’ experience to ITC, she led Veteran and Military Family Engagement at Oracle Cerner, and ran VetsFirst, an accredited Veteran Service Organization, with a stint in the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Center for Women Veterans, where she created groundbreaking women veteran initiatives and nationwide VA programming.

A ninth-generation veteran with dual-military parents, Danielle served on active duty in the US Army and the National Guard; her duty included a tour in Korea. Due to service-connected injuries, she left active duty and earned an MBA from the University of Massachusetts and a nonprofit executive certificate from Georgetown University. As a published military and veteran community subject matter expert and advocate, she gives her time and expertise widely, to include chairing the Board of Directors for the National Coalition of Homeless Veterans, and serving on the Board of Directors for PsychArmor Institute, Hesperus, the American Legion Auxiliary Foundation, the National Physical Activity Alliance, and Carry the Load. She lives in Northern Virginia where she is being raised by two delightful teens who enjoy volunteering as much as she does.

Lisa Williamson, Ex-Officio Director, ALA National President

Lisa Williamson is a proud 31-year honorary life member of C. Russell Huber Unit 57 in Fairbanks, Alaska. Lisa currently serves as ALA National Vice President. She has held national chairmanships in the following programs: Junior Activities, Community Service, Public Relations, Constitution & Bylaws, Legislative, Auxiliary Emergency Fund, Education, Children & Youth, and Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation. She previously served as Alaska’s NEC during 2009-2010 and again 2017-2019, and Department of Alaska President in 2008-2009. Lisa has held most department offices and several chairmanships, and she continues to hold a department chairmanship. As well, she remains active in her unit, having held all offices, and continues to do so. She also is a member of The American Legion Riders and 8&40.

Kathy Daudistel, Designated Director, ALA National Secretary

Kathy Daudistel of Bellevue, KY joined the American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) through father, Bill Kaelin, a Korean Veteran. She has held many national and department leadership positions, including 2021-2022 ALA National President. She retired after more than 33 years from a Fortune 500 company where she worked in the Information Technology division, to focus on the ALA. Kathy is currently serving as the ALA National Secretary. Always willing to take lend an ear and mentor others, she remains active in both the department and her unit as well as the local and department American Legion Riders.

Marybeth Revoir, Designated Director, ALA National Treasurer

Marybeth Revoir, of Hickory Hills, Ill., is a lifelong member of the Auxiliary since joining at just 4 months old through the service of her father, Raymond Spano, a Korean War veteran. Revoir is the director of administration for the Peter Troost Monument Company of Hillside, Ill. Prior to coming to Peter Troost, she was vice president of Paschen Contractors Inc., a world-renowned, family-owned construction firm based in Chicago. Revoir has served in numerous leadership positions at the unit, district, department, and national levels including treasurer for the ALA Department of Illinois for 27 years and currently as National Treasurer.

Nancy Brown-Park, Appointed Director, National Finance Committee

Nancy Brown-Park of Palm Desert, Calif., is a member of George Tadlock Unit 472 through the service of her father, Richard D. Brown, a WWII Army Air Corps veteran. She is also eligible through the service of her husband, Jim Park, a Navy Vietnam War veteran. Brown-Park has held numerous leadership positions in the organization, serving as ALA National President from 2013-2014. At the national level, she was also chairman of the following committees: Junior Activities, Public Relations, National Security, Constitution & Bylaws, Membership, Children & Youth and Veteran Affairs & Rehabilitation. Brown-Park actively volunteers in her community and with other philanthropic organizations.

Trish Ward, Designated Director, ALA National Vice President

Trish Ward of Louisburg, Kan., is a 24-year-member of the American Legion Auxiliary. Trish is currently serving as American Legion Auxiliary national vice president and has served the American Legion Auxiliary in a variety of leadership roles at the unit, district, department, and national levels. Trish previously served two terms as a board member for the American Legion Auxiliary Foundation and is a charter member. After retiring from her career as a senior lead project manager at Lumen, Trish now focuses on volunteering for the American Legion Auxiliary and spending time on her hobby of studying parliamentary procedure. Trish is a member of the National Association of Parliamentarians and is passionate about improving the volunteer experience by understanding and articulating the importance of strong governing documents.

Sandra Rice, Elected Director

Sandra Rice is Senior Vice President, Outreach and Strategic Partnerships for Coqual, a non-profit global think tank based in New York City that focuses on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the workplace. As SVP, she spearheads partnerships with Coqual’s task force community comprised of more than 100 global organizations, nearly all Fortune 500 companies. Currently, she serves on boards for the Union County College Foundation in NJ; the Center for Great Expectations in NJ. She is a member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, an Associate Member of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. and member of American Legion Auxiliary George Padlock Unit in California. A former Girls Nation Senator, Rice has also been a featured speaker at the ALA Girls Nation conference in Washington, DC, and the ALA California Girls State Program. Rice served as Girls Nation Chairman, Western Region 2013-14.

Carol Harlow, Elected Director

Carol Lindamood Harlow brings a unique breadth of experience to her American Legion Auxiliary Foundation Board Member role. Carol served for three years as National Director of the American Legion Auxiliary Washington, D.C. Office (2016 to 2019) and has 25+ years as a nonprofit executive in leading organizations providing support to servicemembers, veterans, and their family members. She served as executive director of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, Deputy Campaign Executive Director of the Campaign to Build the National Museum of the Army Museum, Director of State Programs for the National World War II Memorial Campaign, and Chief Development and Communications Director for the Honor Flight Network. Carol currently raises funds for students to attend a national university in the northeast. The year 2023 marks Carol’s 25th year in the American Legion Auxiliary. She is a PUFL with eligibility for membership through her grandfather’s service during World War II. She currently serves in several positions within the American Legion Auxiliary Department of Virginia: National Security Committee Vice Chair, 2nd Vice President of District 17, and Vice President of Unit 176, Springfield, VA. Carol resides in Washington, D.C. with her husband and her 13-year-old son. Both are members of the Sons of the American Legion.

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FY 2022
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ALA Foundation IRS Form 990

Form 990 2021-FY22
Form 990 2020-FY21
Form 990 2019-FY20