Grand Street Boys' Association

08/22/2023

Shriners Children’s offers care for a range of orthopedic issues, as well as care for burn injuries, craniofacial conditions, spine care and spinal cord injuries, colorectal and gastrointestinal care, and sports medicine.

03/16/2023

08/22/2019

Ya no se necesitará tener un número de seguro social o ITIN.

07/25/2019

02/22/2019

'With our lives before us, we are struggling to envision a future in the city in which we were born and raised.'

01/22/2019

With temperatures struggling to get out of the single digits, thousands of NYCHA residents in the Bronx and across the city were without heat or hot water, using makeshift — and dangerous — methods to stay warm.

01/15/2019

09/24/2018

Annual BABAR, Brooklyn Allied Bars & Restaurants’ Charity Party

06/25/2018

01/13/2018

Masonic Military Service Veterans Infomation Bulletin:

Helping our Veteran's Widows

If a Brother was a military veteran there may be assistance to their widow and other dependents. Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is a tax free monetary benefit generally payable to eligible survivors of military Servicemembers who died in the line of duty or Veterans whose death resulted from a service-related injury or disease.. As of December 1, 2014, DIC awards started at $1,254.19 per month. Generally, VA will increase this award to surviving spouses to compensate for surviving children.

This has been complicated for many widows of Vietnam veterans, who passed away from illnesses related to exposure from toxic exposure that were not approved until after their death. Therefore, many widows are not aware they are entitled to assistance. Families of deceased Vietnam veterans are encouraged to visit www.veteranshealth.org to determine if the cause of their veteran’s death is a presumptive disease that would enable them to receive DIC.

Eligibility

To qualify for DIC, a surviving spouse must meet one of the following five requirements:

1. Married to the Servicemember who died on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training.

2.. Validly married the Veteran before January 1, 1957.

3. Married to the Veteran within 15 years of discharge from the period of military service in which the disease or injury that caused the Veteran’ death began or was aggravated.

4. Married to the Veteran for at least one year.

5. Had a child with the Veteran.

Additionally, the surviving spouse must meet both of the following requirements:

1. Cohabited with the Veteran continuously until the Veteran’s death or, if separated, was not at fault for the separation.

2. Is not currently remarried. However, a surviving spouse who remarries on or after December 16, 2003, and on or after attaining age 57, is entitled to continue to receive DIC.

A surviving child can only qualify for DIC if there is no eligible surviving spouse collecting DIC. The child must be unmarried and under the age of 18, or between ages 18-23, if the child is attending school.

To apply for DIC, you must complete VA Form 21-534 and sent it to a VA regional office for processing. It is highly recommended that you work with your local accredited veteran service representative when filing for DIC.

Please keep our Service Veterans in your thoughts and prayers.

Regards Sincerely and Fraternally,

Don

R∴W∴ Donald R. Kunego
Major, U.S. Army (Ret)
Commander General
Masonic War Veterans of the State of New York
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