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Duty, Reservists, Veterans · Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society besieged by near-record loan demands · North County's Interfaith Community Services swamped by calls for help · Nearly 7,000 service members and their families received emergency loans on Camp Pendleton last year alone
By Rick
Rogers How are military families and veterans doing in San Diego County? Like vulnerable populations elsewhere, strapped and struggling, if North County figures from the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society and Interfaith Community Services are any indication. "I don't know if I told you or not, but our demands for service are up 58 percent while donations are down 53 percent, so we are pushing like a dog over here," said John Stryker Meyer, Interfaith's associate director for veterans outreach. Interfaith targets low-income, homeless and underserved populations, both military and non-military, with programs throughout North San Diego County. In 2008 it doubled its homeless veteran transitional housing by adding 72 new beds at its location in Oceanside near Camp Pendleton. It's been full, except for a few female bunks, ever since. Last year it served 33,700 people, including at least 500 veterans with everything from job assistance to childcare services. "They (veterans) came in hurtin' for certain and left to go back to jobs," said Meyer, "so we know we are helping. But there's always a demand for beds, especially for male veterans." The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society at Camp Pendleton is witnessing it own demand surge. In its case record requests for emergency loans, sparked by the financial strains of two wars half a world away as well as changes here at home. Before the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, lending held steady at about $2 million a year. By 2008, that amount jumped to $3.7 million and last year stood at $4.9 million, said Mike Hire, relief society director at Camp Pendleton. The numbers of troops and families aided has similarly jumped: 2006: 4,000
people Camp Pendleton's number will likely rise again this year and are in line with what the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society is seeing nationally. "It has been a challenging year financially for all of us. The society, like most non-profits, has experienced a reduction in charitable contributions," Steve Abbot, relief society president, said in late 2009. "In our case, it has been accompanied by an increasing need for our services. Last year set a 15-year record: $44.2 million in financial assistance in 77,754 financial relief cases," he said. Hire said the national loan figure could well top $46 million this year. It might be worse if not the actions of military leaders a few years ago. Most of that financial assistance came in the form of interest-free "Quick Assist" loans of up to $300. The good news part of this story is that service members are apparently turning to interest-free loans from the relief society instead of payday lenders who charge mammoth interest rates. For instance, customers might pay $15 for a two-week advance of $100. Taken as an annual percentage, that interest rate would be 390 percent. The bad news is that service members need the loans at all. "There is a growing stain on military families," Hire said. "In the past, a spouse would work a second job to make ends meet. Now, because of the economy and deployments, they aren't working that job." "We are seeing more families than we used to," Hire said. "And I am surprised we are getting as many reservists as we are." Hire said 25 percent of relief society loans go to service members who simply make poor financial decisions because they are young and mismanage their money. But the vast majority of the cases, Hire said, arise through no fault of their own. If you want to help with your time or donations, contact: * Camp Pendleton Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society: (760) 725-5337/5338 or email Mike Hire at mike.hire@nmcrs.org * Interfaith Community Services: (760) 489-6380?or email John Stryker Meyer at jmeyer@interfaithservices.org
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