Vietnam Veteran Bill McCann started the Vittles for Vets charity to combat hunger among Veterans by providing them the means to buy groceries.

It was after Bill McCann took a Veteran to lunch at a VA cafeteria that he was inspired to start a charity for fighting Veteran hunger. He gave the Veteran a $50 gift card to buy groceries. The Veteran grabbed his hand and began to cry.

That “was the very second Vittles for Vets was born,” McCann said.

McCann, a Vietnam War Veteran, created Vittles for Vets to fight Veteran hunger. His charity provides $50 grocery gift cards to Veterans in need. In order to receive help, the needy Veterans must live below the federal poverty line, be free of alcohol and drugs, received an other than dishonorable discharge and be referred by a Veterans organization.

McCann exercises oversight of the Veterans’ receipts to ensure that the money is going towards healthy and nutritious food. Vittles for Vets is staffed by volunteers including his wife, his WWII-Veteran father-in-law, and others.

One of the challenges McCann has faced is simply getting the name out. He raises funds through mailings, information booths, and speaking engagements. In time, he hopes to expand the nonprofit to the point where he can give cards to 70 Veterans on a weekly basis. Nevertheless, he’d pledged that Vittles for Vets never turns a Veteran away due to a lack of funding.

McCann earned the 2019 Red Cross Military Hero Award as a result of his work with Vittles for Vets.

Thank you for your service, Bill McCann!

Contributors:

Writer: Nathan Giacalone

Editor: Michelle Cannon

Graphics: Kimber Garland

Topics in this story

ArmyavsRed CrossVeteran StoriesVeteran StoryVietnam War

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8 Comments

  1. my assignment help October 16, 2019 at 11:44

    thanks a lot, GOD blessed ministry

  2. Cybersam September 26, 2019 at 01:44

    Wow! Remain blessed
    Can I get Link on where to sign up for this program?

  3. John Kurtiak September 23, 2019 at 16:56

    Get no help, so continue to eat Alpo

  4. Carl watson September 20, 2019 at 16:09

    Fantastic work you’re doing by being a Vietnam era vet and truly see the need. Question I assume that you’re a nonprofit in your books are open for inspection and I would like to see how much goes to overhead and how much is actually utilized for the purpose. I’m hesitant to put you on my website or on my Facebook page until I hear from you on this. It’s a shame that things have come to that point but there are so many scammers and have such a high overhead versus utilization ratio that you got to wonder if they’re not in it just for the bucks. Keep up the good work and please take this in the spirit that it was written

  5. Marvin September 20, 2019 at 13:33

    Thats a lot of oversight and prerequisites for 50 bucks..

  6. Ernest Contreras September 20, 2019 at 13:03

    Interesting article on Vittles for Vets, this something I truly need, but I see no link where to signup for this important program, can you provide this me, I am currently struggling, to buy Food for my self and waiting to get approved from the VA center for a claim submitted, I am also a Viet Nam vet and have a modest 1200.00 monthly income,
    Thank You
    Ernest Contreras

  7. Juan J Rodriguez September 20, 2019 at 12:38

    Excellent, GOD blessed ministry. WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

  8. vot September 19, 2019 at 15:03

    Much love of bill

Comments are closed.

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