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The Military Family Relief Fund — Grants When Activation Cuts the Paycheck

Illinois pays monetary grants for food, housing, utilities and other expenses to National Guard members and Illinois residents in the Reserve components who are called to active duty during a declared emergency — and to their families. More than $15.4 million has gone to over 28,840 families since 2003. The current grant amounts are not published on the pages reviewed.

Verified August 27, 2026

What this benefit is

Illinois pays monetary grants for food, housing, utilities and other expenses to National Guard members and Illinois residents in the Reserve components who are called to active duty during a declared emergency — and to their families. More than $15.4 million has gone to over 28,840 families since 2003. The current grant amounts are not published on the pages reviewed.

What it's worth: Monetary grants for food, housing, utilities and other expenses during activation

  • It reaches Illinois National Guard members and Illinois residents serving in Reserve components called to active duty during a presidentially or congressionally declared emergency — AND their families.
  • The families are eligible in their own right, which matters when the servicemember is deployed and cannot deal with paperwork.
  • Grants cover food, housing, utilities and other expenses arising from the activation.
  • More than $15.4 million has been disbursed to over 28,840 families since 2003, so this is a functioning programme rather than a nominal one.
  • The CURRENT grant amounts are not published on the pages reviewed, so none is asserted here.
  • This is a serving-member and family benefit rather than a veterans one, and is tagged as such.

Who is entitled to it

  • You are in one of the groups the fund covers.
  • You are an Illinois National Guard member.
  • You are on active duty.
  • You are in Illinois.

Not sure whether that describes you?

Answer a few questions about this benefit specifically — we only ask what this one actually depends on, and we stop as soon as we know.

How to claim it

  1. 1Apply through the Department of Military Affairs — this is a military department programme, not a veterans department one.
  2. 2Family members can apply. If the servicemember is deployed, the family does not have to wait for them.
  3. 3Take evidence of the activation and of the expenses the activation has caused.
  4. 4Ask what the current grant amounts are. They are not published and this record deliberately does not guess.
Form
Application to the Department of Military Affairs
File with
Illinois Department of Military Affairs
No renewal
Once granted it does not need renewing.
Known gapCurrent grant amounts are not published on the pages reviewed. The record states what the fund is for and its scale to date rather than asserting a figure.

Sources

This finder provides an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. The responsible agency decides your application.