The Kaufman Fund: Practical Help for St. Louis Veterans
A Veteran’s need rarely fits into one neat category.
A dental problem can affect the ability to work. A legal question can threaten housing stability. A thin grocery budget can create stress for an entire family. And when several needs arrive at once, knowing where to begin may be the hardest part.
That is where a strong community network matters.
The Kaufman Fund helps St. Louis-area Veterans connect with practical support for food, dental care, legal concerns, mental health, taxes, seasonal needs, and other essentials. United Veteran Benefits Agency is proud to support this organization as part of our broader commitment to Veteran-serving charities and community partners.
What Is The Kaufman Fund?
The Kaufman Fund is a St. Louis-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1990. Wayne Kaufman created the organization in memory of his older brother, Ralph Kaufman, a U.S. Air Force Veteran who remained committed to honoring those who served.
Wayne was also a Veteran. He served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam in 1969 and 1970. His own military experience helped shape a long-term commitment to assisting fellow Veterans in need.
Today, the organization works through its own programs, referrals, grants, and partnerships with other service organizations. Its mission is practical: help Veterans address basic necessities and connect them with people who can respond to the need in front of them.
How The Kaufman Fund Helps Veterans
The Kaufman Fund does not rely on a single program. Its work reaches several parts of daily life.
Food and seasonal support
Food for Vets events provide groceries to Veterans and their families. The organization’s program page reports that more than 2,300 Veterans and family members have received food through the program over time.
Seasonal programs include Trees for Vets and Winter Warm-Up. These efforts provide Christmas trees, coats, hats, gloves, and other items that can make a difficult season more manageable.
Dental, legal, and health-related referrals
The Kaufman Fund connects Veterans with dental assistance when care is not covered by the VA. Its Legal Referral Program helps Veterans reach attorneys who may be able to address qualifying legal concerns.
The organization also lists mental health and chiropractic referral efforts, along with connections to therapeutic programs involving art, animals, and adaptive sports. Availability and eligibility can vary, so Veterans should contact the organization for current details.
Tax preparation and resource navigation
During tax season, Tax Prep for Vets offers free federal and state tax preparation through an IRS VITA-approved site, subject to program capacity and return complexity.
The organization’s resource network also points Veterans toward housing, utility, wellness, disability, employment, and other community services. That navigation role matters because the right resource is not useful if a Veteran cannot find it.
What The Kaufman Fund’s Impact Looks Like
The organization’s 2024 impact report shows how many different needs can exist within one Veteran community. During that year, The Kaufman Fund reported:
- More than 2,000 Veterans supported across its efforts
- 572 Veterans receiving dental care services
- 672 Veterans assisted through the Legal Referral Program
- 469 Veterans receiving a full week of groceries
- 69 Veterans receiving free state and federal tax preparation
- 320 Veterans receiving Christmas trees
- 250 new coats distributed with additional winter essentials
- 218 Veterans seeking referrals for needs outside the organization’s direct programs
Those figures are more than a program summary. They show why Veteran support has to be broad enough to respond to real life.
Why Community-Based Veteran Support Matters
No one organization can meet every need. Strong Veteran support often works as a network, with each group contributing a specific kind of help.
Some organizations focus on mental health care and family support, as explored in our spotlight on Home Base. Others rebuild connection and purpose through shared experiences, like The Fallen Outdoors. The Kaufman Fund strengthens that network by helping Veterans address immediate, practical needs and find additional resources throughout the St. Louis region.
That kind of coordination can keep a Veteran from having to start over with every new problem. One trusted connection may lead to food assistance today, a dental referral next month, or another organization better equipped to address a different need.
How Veterans Can Ask for Help
If you are a Veteran in the St. Louis area, start by reviewing The Kaufman Fund’s current programs and Veteran resources. Program dates, availability, service areas, and eligibility requirements can change.
Visit The Kaufman Fund website or call 314-455-9415 to ask which current resource best matches your need.
You do not need to decide which program fits before reaching out. Explain the immediate need clearly and ask what information you should have ready.
How Supporters Can Get Involved
The Kaufman Fund also invites community members and businesses to volunteer, sponsor programs, attend events, or donate. Because the organization focuses its raised funds in the St. Louis region, local support can become direct help for local Veterans and families.
UVBA believes serving Veterans extends beyond the disability claims process. You can follow more community resources through The Veteran Brief and explore additional organizations on our Giving Back page.
The Next Step Can Be a Connection
Asking for help can feel uncomfortable, especially when you are used to handling problems on your own. But practical support exists because life after service can bring challenges that should not have to be managed alone.
If you or a Veteran you know needs food, dental, legal, mental health, tax, seasonal, or referral support in the St. Louis region, review The Kaufman Fund’s current resources and start with a simple call.
If your question is specifically about understanding the VA disability claims process, you can also contact the UVBA team for an educational conversation about your situation.