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D.A.V. & Elderly Assistants for Life, Inc. is a South Carolina 501(c)(3) nonprofit and qualified public charity. All donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
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Your generosity helps us carry out a mission that has been 17 years in the making, and one that is deeply personal. Every gift, no matter the size, brings us one step closer to opening our doors and serving the veterans and elderly neighbors who need us most.
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Thank you for standing with us. Your generosity honors every veteran who served—and every family member who supported them.
A Special Tribute
He believed in serving others, and so do we. This organization is his legacy—a promise kept and a dream we are working to fulfill.
Read his tributeWhy Your Donation Matters
In rural South Carolina, transportation is one of the biggest barriers to health care for veterans. Many cannot drive due to age, disability, or medical conditions, and public transportation is scarce. Your donation helps us:
Veterans and elderly individuals deserve to age with dignity in their own homes, and there is a growing need for organizations that can deliver skilled care, daily assistance, and respite services. Your donation helps us:
We are working toward purchasing a commercial facility, because we believe in owning our assets, not leasing, so that every dollar goes directly back into serving our community. It will house:
How Your Gift Helps
| Your donation | What it supports |
|---|---|
| $25 | Fuel for a veteran’s round-trip medical appointment |
| $50 | A wheelchair or walker for a homebound senior |
| $100 | One month of cell phone service for our transport team |
| $500 | A two-way radio for coordinating rides |
| $1,000+ | A gift toward a wheelchair-accessible van |
Tax Deductibility
Starting with the 2026 tax year, if you take the standard deduction, you may be able to deduct up to $1,000 (single filers) or $2,000 (married filing jointly) in cash donations to qualified public charities like ours, in addition to the standard deduction.
You will receive a written acknowledgment for any single gift of $250 or more. Our EIN is 27-0194850. Please consult your tax advisor for details.
In Loving Memory
August 30, 1932 – September 27, 2023
A life of service, a legacy of love
“My dad carried me all these years, and I carried him. Now it’s time to carry others in his honor.”
Lethonia Burns lived a life marked by quiet strength, deep faith, and unwavering dedication to his country. As a proud veteran of the United States Air Force, he served with honor and distinction, embodying the core values of integrity, excellence, and service before self. His military service laid the foundation for a lifetime of commitment—to his family, his community, and the principles he held dear.
Lethonia and his daughter, Cynthia, shared something rare and beautiful—the same birthday, August 30th. This coincidence of birth created a bond that went far beyond the calendar. It was a thread of connection woven through every birthday celebration, every shared laugh, every quiet moment of understanding between a father and his daughter. For Cynthia, that shared birthday was a constant reminder that she and her dad were linked in a way that felt destined, not accidental.
In his 90th year, Lethonia Burns passed away peacefully on September 27, 2023, at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston, South Carolina—a facility that cared for him as he had once cared for his country. He was laid to rest with full military honors at Beaufort National Cemetery, a hallowed resting place befitting a veteran of his stature.
The mission of D.A.V. & Elderly Assistants for Life, Incorporated is rooted in the same spirit of service that defined Lethonia Burns’s life. Every vehicle in our fleet is dedicated to his memory—a rolling tribute to a man who gave so much of himself to others. Each van bears his name and legacy, a promise that his service continues through every ride we provide.
When you see one of our vans on the road, know that it carries more than passengers. It carries the legacy of a father, a veteran, and a man who believed in showing up for those who needed him. These vehicles are more than transportation—they are the wheels of a promise kept, moving forward in his name.
This tribute reminds everyone that this organization was born not just from a need in the community, but from a daughter’s love for her father and her desire to honor his legacy of service.
No Veteran Left Behind
In his honor, D.A.V. & Elderly Assistants for Life, Inc. assists veterans by providing safe transportation to and from medical appointments, helping them with home health care services, and honoring them for their service to our country.
“He served his country with honor, and he raised a daughter who would spend her life trying to serve others. That is the truest measure of a man.”
