A simple check mark on your state income tax form this year can help veterans living in one of our California Veterans Homes live a more fulfilling life by providing recreational materials like movie and books and social events like trips to ballgames and concerts.

“Donating to this worthwhile fund is an excellent way for the Veterans Homes of California to increase their Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Fund to help improve the quality of life for our deserving veteran residents,” said Major General (Ret.) Peter J. Gravett, Secretary of the California Department of Veterans Affairs. “Please help promote this effort to individuals you may know who are looking for a way to help support veterans and the Veterans Homes of California. It is an easy way to give back to those who have given so much to our country. On behalf of our wonderful veterans, I thank you.

Veterans Home advocates are asking veterans supporters in California to please consider donating to the California Veterans Home Fund when filing their 2011 California Income Tax Returns before April 17, 2012. The Fund is Code #417 on Line #110 of the California Form 540 for the 2011 tax year.

The total received by the State is divided and distributed among each of the six Veterans Homes of California. These beautiful homes were built as an expression of gratitude toward California’s veterans, and are located in Yountville (the oldest and largest State Veterans Home in the nation), Chula Vista, Barstow, Ventura, Lancaster, and the newest home in West Los Angeles, built adjacent to the USDVA Hospital. Two additional Veterans Homes are currently under construction in Fresno and Redding.

In 2010, Assembly Bill 1088 (Fletcher) established the “California Veterans Home Fund,” allowing taxpayers to donate directly to this fund from their State Income Tax refunds.

To date, from January 2011 through November, 2011, nearly 19,000 California taxpayers have donated $210,720 from their State Income Tax refunds to this new fund to help the residents at the California Veterans Homes.

For more information on this effort, as well as Veterans benefits, employment, educational resources, services, Veterans Homes of California, CalVet Home Loans, Veterans license plates, and much more, please log on to the CalVet website at www.calvet.ca.gov.

Visit our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/mycalvet and follow us on twitter/mycalvet.

You may unsubscribe from this list at any time by sending a "SIGNOFF VETNEWS" or “SIGNOFF NEWS FOR VETERANS” command to LISTSERV@LISTSERV.STATE.CA.GOV