Veterans Program Trust Fund

The Kentucky General Assembly established the Veteran’s Program Trust Fund (VPTF) as part of the Kentucky Vietnam Veterans’ Bonus Act on December 23, 1988.  The purpose of the VPTF is to direct funding to projects and programs that help Kentucky’s veterans but for which other funds are not available. 

The VPTF is overseen by a Board of Directors whose members are appointed by the Governor.  The list of members with their affiliations is below. The VPTF Board of Directors meets several times a year on an ad-hoc basis as it receives requests for funding.

The VPTF has received a steady, moderate income from a $5.00 fee that is included in the initial purchase price and renewal of Veterans’ License Plates.  The VPTF is also a legal recipient of tax-deductible contributions from individuals, companies and organizations.  Donations to the Trust Fund are tax-deductible. Such contributions may be made through the VPTF check-off box on the Kentucky Income Tax form, directly to the VPTF through personal checks to the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs, or securely online.

Kentucky’s Veterans Service Organizations have contributed generously to the VPTF since its creation and continue to do so.

Donors may also specify that their contribution go to one of several specific programs/facilities KDVA operates for the benefit of veterans:

Homeless Veterans Trust Fund
Women Veterans
Benefits Assistance
Thomson-Hood Veterans Center (Wilmore)
Eastern Kentucky Veterans Center (Hazard)
Western Kentucky Veterans Center (Hanson)
Kentucky Veterans Cemetery West (Hopkinsville)
Kentucky Veterans Cemetery Central (Fort Knox)
Kentucky Veterans Cemetery North (Williamstown)
Kentucky Veterans Cemetery North East (Greenup County)

For more information about the Kentucky Veterans Program Trust Fund, click here to send an email.

Generous Donation
to Homeless Veterans Trust Fund

Kentucky Veterans Program Trust Fund Chairman Ken Lucas, left, and Homeless Veterans Coordinator Pat McKiernan, right, present a Kentucky Colonel Commission to Tom Loveless.

Bob Hook Chevrolet presented a check for $27,250 to Ken Lucas, chairman of the Kentucky Veterans Program Trust Fund. The company regularly holds fundraisers for various local causes, and most recently its recipient was the Homeless Veterans Trust Fund.

“I am deeply touched by this gift,” Lucas said. “We are very proud to have a trust fund and a program that allows us to direct every penny of donations like this to homeless veterans and those in danger of becoming homeless. This is the largest single donation the Homeless Veterans Trust Fund has ever received."

Salesman Tom Loveless started the fundraising tradition 12 years ago with a fundraiser for a coworker who was struggling with large medical bills.  The staff had so much fun and felt so rewarded by the fundraising that owner Bob Hook made it a regular event.

The Trust Fund Board of Directors meets several times a year, at the discretion of the chairperson.  Meetings are held at KDVA headquarters in Frankfort, and are open to the public.

Therapy on Horseback

Veteran Charlie began therapeutic riding Oct. 11 at Wild Rose Therapeutic in Elizabethtown. The program received a $30,000 grant from the Kentucky Veterans Program Trust Fund to start serving veterans.

Read an article here.

See more pictures here.