OPERATION K.A.V.I.C. (Keller Assists Veterans in Crisis) was created in 2015 to prevent our local military personnel and veterans from enduring financial hardship. Keller Logistics Group together with Defiance County Veterans Services administer the program. Keller focuses their efforts on awareness and fundraising and the veteran services office qualifies the individuals and works to pair Operation KAVIC funds with their veteran benefits to provide the most financial support possible. This partnership allows requests for assistance to be fulfilled, typically, within 24 hours and ensure confidentiality of the veteran and their family.
Operation K.A.V.I.C. provides Active Duty, Veterans, Reservists, & National Guard members with financial assistance where their veteran benefits may have gaps. Most often we help with rent/mortgage payments and medical bills but the flexibility of the Operation K.A.V.I.C. fund our veterans are able to receive assistance with a variety of expenses including dental, home repairs, and even therapy animals.
Veterans also benefit from K.AV.I.C. through the funding of local programs. For example, Maumee Valley Guidance Center receives funds from K.A.V.I.C. to assist payment in mental health treatments of local veterans. MVGC has therapists that have completed training through Star Behavioral Health Providers to be able to better serve their military connected clients. For more information on mental health treatments, call MVGC 1.800.569.3980.
Support Local Veterans & Corporate Sponsorship Programs
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Simply click on the donate now button below to go to our donation page.
KAVIC Lieutenant Sponsorship: 2024 Straight Line Outdoor
KAVIC President Sponsor: 2024 Collier – Supply Chain Real Estate
KAVIC President Sponsor: 2024 Design Collaborative
KAVIC President Sponsor: 2024 Northwestern Mutual Insurance
KAVIC President Sponsor: 2024 Premier Bank
KAVIC President Sponsor: 2024 Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick
KAVIC President Sponsor: 2024 Stoops Freightliner
KAVIC President Sponsor: 2024 Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick
KAVIC Sergeant Sponsorship: 2024 Hahr Insurance
KAVIC Sergeant Sponsorship: 2024 Michael S McCann
KAVIC Sergeant Sponsorship: 2024 Roehrig Painting
KAVIC Sergeant Sponsorship: 2024 Schaffer Funeral Home
KAVIC Other Sponsors: 2024 Beverage Cart – Armor Fire Protection
KAVIC Other Sponsors: 2024 Biggby Coffee
KAVIC Other Sponsors: 2024 Uline
KAVIC Other Sponsors: Cook Out Event Sponsor – Keller Freight Solutions
KAVIC Other Sponsors: 2024 Golf Outing Event Sponsor – Keller Family Foundation
2024 OPERATION K.A.V.I.C. EVENTS
COOK OUT & MINI-GOLF
Thursday, July 11 at 4:30 PM
Keller Club House – Defiance, OH
We are inviting Veterans and their families for a
day filled with delicious food, sunshine, friendly
competition, and thrilling rounds of mini-golf.
GOLF OUTING
Saturday, September 7th at 8:00 AM
Eagle Rock Golf Course – Defiance, OH
Join us for a day of fun and giving back at our
Golf Outing! Our outing includes a round of golf
on a beautiful course, exciting contests and
prizes, delicious food and drinks, and the chance
to make a difference in our community.
VETERANS AND FAMILY APPRECIATION DINNER
Thursday, November 7th at 4:30 PM
Knights of Columbus Hall – Defiance, OH
We’re inviting Veterans and their families to
gather for a day filled with delicious food to
honor and thank those who have served our country.
Assisting Local Veterans
Watch the video to hear from those who’ve been received assistance from Operation K.A.V.I.C. and how it has positively affected their lives.
From car repairs, to living expenses, to help purchasing and training a therapy dog, Operation K.A.V.I.C. is assisting our local veterans every day. When a veteran goes to Veterans Services for assistance, their veterans benefits are used first. If they have a need that can not be supported by those benefits, they use the Operation K.A.V.I.C. funds to assist. Hear one surviving spouse’s story about the help she received, “I’m very grateful, that was my lifeline. I didn’t know what I was going to do. I’m 80 years old, I can’t go out and get a job.”
After receiving quite a few sponsorship requests from local businesses to support their charities, Bryan Keller, our CEO got to thinking. Keller Logistics Group’s growth over the past few years has put us in a position to be able to choose a corporate philanthropy to support like many major corporations.
While thinking about possible charities, Bryan determined Veterans would be our focus, for a few reasons:
An industry fact stated that 30% of professional truck drivers are veterans, turns out, that statistics is true for employees of Keller Trucking.
To better understand that need within the Veteran community we met with the Defiance County Veterans Services team. They were very excited about our new initiative and told some interesting stories. One theme we heard over and over was that there are gaps in the benefits provided to our veterans. For example, one veteran had a reoccurring dental infection. His benefits would pay for the antibiotics to get rid of the infection but would not pay to have the tooth removed, which was the best course of action.Most of us feel that the Veteran community is under-served. They, along with their families, have sacrificed so much. There are some that are one unexpected bill or a few missed hours at work away from experiencing financial crisis.
So, we decided to create our own fund that would help fill the gaps in veterans’ benefits. We partnered with Ravens Care of Defiance to handle the finances of the fund, which is a 501 (c) 3, giving our donors a tax advantage. The Veteran’s Office qualifies the individual based on parameters already in place to receive assistance through the VA while also allowing the veteran to maintain confidentiality.
We had the idea, the purpose, and had employees chose a name, next up how to raise money to support Operation K.A.V.I.C. We decided to host a free veterans and their family appreciation luncheon and provided business partners and local businesses the opportunity to sponsor the event. With overwhelming support from the community, we raised over $36,000 that first year!
Since then, the support for Operation K.A.V.I.C. continues to grow, along with the awareness in the veteran communities.
Between 2015 and 2022, Operation K.A.V.I.C. has raised over $500,000 to assist and prevent local military and veterans in our community from enduring financial crisis. After 8 years of fundraising, $519,437 has been raised and we continue to see the community support Operation K.A.V.I.C. with their donations along with participation in fundraising events. In 2022, we did receive a large estate gift from a Veteran who only a few years before his passing received assistance through Operation K.A.V.I.C.
The K.A.V.I.C. fund provides finanical assistance for a variety of expenses. The most common expense is mortgage or rent and then medical bills. The great thing about Operation K.A.V.I.C. is the flexibility it provides in covering not so typical expenses. The Veterans office is able to have gift cards for groceries and gas on hand to give out in an emergency. From 2015 – 2022, K.A.V.I.C. provided over $280,000 in requests to local veterans and their families.
The Veteran Crisis Line connects Veterans in crisis and their loved ones with caring, qualified responders with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Veterans and their friends and family can recieve confidential support through a toll-free call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. If you are a Veteran in crisis or are concerned about one, connect with a specially trained and experienced VA crisis responder anytime day or night.
In July 2018, Bryan Keller was nominated by Chris Netwon of the Defiance County Veterans Services Commissioners because of his work with Operation K.A.V.I.C. and because Keller Logistics Group is one of the largest supporters of hiring veterans in Defiance County.
Larry Moore, awards committee chairman for Ohio State Association of County Veterans Services Commissioners stated, “When we look at individuals who go out of their way like this, we really appreciate it. Operation K.A.V.I.C. gives us support we can call upon. It’s an outstanding effort on his part. I can’t say thank you enough for doing this since 2015.”
OPERATION K.A.V.I.C. AWARDS
Making a Difference Award
In May of 2019, Keller Logistics Group was one of three recipeints of the Making a Difference Award presented by Northwest State Community College for our work with Operation K.A.V.I.C.
This video was created for the awards ceremony to showcase how Operation K.A.V.I.C. is making a difference in the lives of veterans and their families in Defiance County.
Learn more about what makes Keller Logistics Group and its affiliates the best choice for your company’s 3PL logistics needs. Contact us to learn more about our services and request a no-obligation quote. Call 419-784-4805 or return our online contact form today.
We believed we could make a difference in our community. Keller Logistics Group’s purpose is to enrich as many lives as possible. 
