Camp Pendleton’s Navy Marine Corps Relief Society office began its annual fund drive last week and continues to encourage donations to care for fellow comrades. The national organization has helped more than 4 million service members and military families with an estimated $1.1 billion.

“When people ask me why they should donate to the NMCRS, I tell them because the NMCRS has one and only one mission,” said Michael G. Hire, director, NMCRS, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. “That mission is to help Marines, sailors and their families. We have no other reason to exist.”

The relief society’s goal is to provide financial, educational and other assistance to service members, eligible family members, and survivors of the Naval Services of the United States, according to the NMCRS mission statement. To maintain this support, the society must also receive funds when in need, justifying the annual fund drive’s purpose.

“The goal of the drive is to make Marines and sailors aware of why the NMCRS exists and of all the benefits available to them in addition to raising money,” said Staff Sgt. Sean K. Flanary, staff noncommissioned officer in charge, NMCRS Fund Drive office, MCB.

The month-long drive that began March 16 encourages base residents to donate. In the drive’s first four days, the base collected nearly $12,000, but must continue this successful trend to reach its goal of year-round service member support.

“When those helped start to donate, you have a very efficient fund drive and can continue to help Marines and sailors,” Hire said.

The NMCRS began in 1904 with 19 volunteers aiding 34 service member widows. This number is only a fraction of the nearly 3,000 volunteers the organization has today benefiting millions of Marines, sailors, and service-member families across the globe.

“I have utilized the societies’ services at least four times in my career, even as a staff sergeant,” Flanary said. “I remember my car breaking down in the middle of the desert while driving through New Mexico. The NMCRS provided me with the money to fix my car to get back home.”

Camp Pendleton’s NMCRS office provided $3.2 million dollars in interest-free loans last year to local Marines and sailors on top of the $468,000 awarded to those with immediate needs in grants.

“The NMCRS is the only organization, out of all the military fund drives, that takes in less and gives out more,” said Cpl. Patrick T. Navarro, administrative specialist, NMCRS Fund Drive office, MCB. “Our goal is 100 percent contact on base so that everyone is aware of everything the society has to offer.”

Marines and sailors need to use the NMCRS as their first avenue of assistance, not their last, Flanary said.

For additional information or to learn how you can contribute to NMCRS, log onto nmcrs.org or call Camp Pendleton’s local office at (760) 725-5337.