Ohio video raffle program reaches $20 million mark for charities
Hundreds of local charities throughout Ohio benefit from support
Columbus, Ohio (April 25, 2016) – The Ohio Veterans and Fraternal Charitable Coalition (OVFCC) announced this week that its video raffle program has reached a major milestone by hitting the $20 million mark in funds raised for charity.
The funds directly benefit veterans’ posts, fraternal lodges and hundreds of local 501(c)(3) charities; fifty percent of the revenue supports the posts and lodges and fifty percent supports local charities in communities across Ohio.
“This is very exiting news for our organizations and the charities we support,” said Merle Pratt of the Ohio AMVETS and secretary of the OVFCC. “Our charitable work is very important to our overall mission, and the video raffle proceeds are a critical part of our success.”
Below is a sampling of just some of the important work veterans and fraternal organizations are doing to support local charitable causes that are so vital to our local communities throughout Ohio. These initiatives have been made possible through funds raised by the video raffle program:
- Video raffle program helps central Ohio homeless veterans
- Ohio Eagles continue to have positive impact on spinal cord injury patients through charitable contributions
- Charitable video raffle program provides funding for Ohio veteran’s burial
- Charitable video raffle program funds innovative brain injury therapy for Ohio veteran
- American Legion Department of Ohio Charities partner with Fallen 15 for the inaugural Veteran Women’s 5K
- Charitable video raffle helps deceased soldier’s family keep their home
- OVFCC raffle funds have helped provide well over $100,000 to the Wright Patterson Airmen & Family Readiness Center
- OVFCC members help veterans in need at Central Ohio Stand Down
- OVFCC raffle funds help pay burial cost for slain veteran
- VFW partners with high school students to provide wheelchair ramps for veterans
Attorney General Mike DeWine has said the program is illegal and ordered it shut down in 2013. Veterans and fraternal organizations disagreed and quickly obtained a temporary restraining order allowing the program to proceed, pending a court trial, which is set for later this year. The groups are hopeful they will win their court case and continue to be able to raise vital funds to support their posts and charities at no cost to taxpayers. “It would be highly unfortunate if the charities we support were to lose vital funding because of state government leaders misinterpreting Ohio law,” said OVFCC president Bill Seagraves. “No other form of gaming supports charities at this level and has such a positive impact on our communities. We provide help for many who are at the end of their rope with no place else to turn.”