Eligibility

1. Service Requirements.  The definition of a “Veteran” is:

A person who served in the active military, naval, or air service; a member of the women's air forces service pilots during World War II; a United States documented merchant mariner with service aboard an oceangoing vessel operated by the war shipping administration; the office of defense transportation, or their agents, from December 7, 1941, through December 31, 1946; or a civil service crewmember with service aboard a United States army transport service or United States naval transportation service vessel in oceangoing service from December 7, 1941, through December 31, 1946 who meets one of the following criteria:

a. Served on active duty for at least one hundred eighty (180) days and who was released with an honorable discharge;

b. Received an honorable or general under honorable characterization of service with a medical reason for separation for a condition listed as non-existed prior to service, regardless of number of days served; or

i. Received an honorable discharge and has received a rating for a service-connected disability from the United States Department of Veterans’ Affairs regardless of number of days served;

c. A current member honorably serving in the armed forces reserve or national guard who has served for at least one hundred eighty (180) days;

i. A former member of the armed forces reserve or national guard who has fulfilled his or her initial military service obligation and was released with an honorable discharge; 

ii. Examples of acceptable proof of service record are outlined in Attachment C.

d. At the discretion of the county legislative authority and in consultation with the veterans' advisory board, counties may expand eligibility for the VRF as the county determines necessary, which may include serving veterans with additional discharge characterizations.

Family members entitled to apply for assistance shall be defined as the spouse or domestic partner, surviving spouse, surviving domestic partner, and dependent children of a living or deceased veteran, or a servicemember who was killed in the line of duty regardless of the number of days served.

a. Applicants must have been a resident of the Walla Walla County for at least sixty (60) days. 

b. An exception can be made if the Veteran has been discharged from military service in the last 90 days and has moved to Walla Walla County during that 90-day period or if the Veteran can show intent to establish residency in Walla Walla County such as enrollment in SSVF or HUD-VASH. 

c. Applicants must present proof of residency. See Attachment C.

 

4. Indigence/Income Requirements.  

A person who is defined as such by the county legislative authority using one or more of the following 10 definitions:

a. Receiving one of the following types of public assistance: Temporary assistance for needy families, aged, blind, or disabled assistance benefits, pregnant women assistance benefits, poverty- related veterans' benefits, food stamps or food stamp benefits transferred electronically, refugee resettlement benefits, Medicaid, medical care services, or supplemental security income;

b. Receiving an annual income, after taxes, of up to one hundred seventy five percent (175%) or less of the current federally established poverty level. See Attachment A; or

c. Unable to pay reasonable costs for shelter, food, utilities, and transportation because his or her available funds are insufficient.