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 American Legion Auxiliary Foundation assists 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 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 five 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 Federal 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 Markesan Historical Society, Mitchell Park Horticultural Domes, and Easter Seals-Wisconsin.

Anne Parker, Foundation Secretary

Anne Parker, of Ocala, Fl., has been an ALA member for 17 years and held numerous leadership positions at the unit, department, and national levels including 2014-2015 Department of South Carolina president. Parker has served on the Foundation board for the last four years and is currently the Foundation secretary. 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, the board of directors for Interfaith emergency services in Ocala Florida, and as the 2018-2019 National President for the 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.

Joan Hernandez, Elected Director

Bio coming soon.

Shawnika Hunt- Elected Director

Shawnika Hunt embodies a dynamic professional with a rich history of leadership and advocacy. As a 1995 alumna of Hoosier Girl State, she has continually demonstrated her commitment to community engagement. Her roles as the 2021 ALA PA Western Chair, 2022 ALA Keystone Girl State Mentor, and ALA 2023 Keystone Girl State Director underscore her dedication to empowering the next generation of leaders.
With over two decades of expertise in sales, Shawnika has left a lasting impact at renowned companies like Yellow Freight. Additionally, her entrepreneurial spirit shines through her founding of The Haley Group Enterprises.
Shawnika’s academic background includes degrees in Business Management from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business and Occupational Leadership and Supervision, further solidifying her prowess in the field. Committed to making a difference, she has served on various boards, including Indiana Black Expo and the Glimmer of Hope Foundation.
Passionate about breast cancer awareness, Shawnika advocates for early detection through presentations at town halls, commercials, races, and health fairs. Her advocacy extends to lobbying for improved access to resources and medications. Shawnika’s multifaceted career and unwavering commitment to advocacy underscore her passion for positive change.
Residing in New Jersey with her husband and two sons, Shawnika balances her professional pursuits with family life.

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.

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.

Teresa Nunez, Elected Director

Bio coming soon.

Laura Santino, Elected Director

Bio coming soon.

Marge Christianson, Elected Director

Bio coming soon.

Pam Ray Designated Director, ALA National President

Pam is a 68-year member of the American Legion Auxiliary, having joined shortly after she was born. Pam’s eligibility is through her late father, Clay Lofton, a WWII and Korean war veteran. In 1972 Pam served as the Honorary Department Junior President. Since becoming a senior member, Pam has served in many leadership roles on the Unit, District, Department and National levels. She is currently serving as the National Vice President of the ALA.
In Pam’s life outside of the ALA, she is very proud of her 47-year nursing career. She has worked with Pediatric patients, burn patients, neurosurgery patients and many years with head and neck cancer patients prior to her retirement. She loves the teaching aspect of nursing, both teaching families as well as residents and medical students.
Pam has been married to Harl “Butch” Ray for 45 years. They have two beautiful daughters and two grandchildren, truly the loves of her life. This is my first time working on the ALAF and I look forward to learning many new things and seeing how the foundation assists our members in serving the mission.

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.