The Polish Army Veterans Association is an organization of American and Canadian veterans who enlisted as volunteers in World Wars I and II, serving with the Allied Polish forces in Europe. In May 1921, the association was founded in Cleveland, Ohio, for the sole purpose of aiding the physically disabled and handicapped veterans. Post #3 was organized in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, prior to the establishment of the National Association, in July 1920.
Ways and means had to be found to meet the needs of the disabled, and by 1925 the demands for financial aid for hospitalization and burials began to be felt deeply. A special fund for these purposes was established. The first person to realize the necessity for helping the disabled Polish Army Veterans was Polish patriot and patron of PAVA, Ignace Jan Paderewski, who contributed 10,000 dollars. In appreciation of this gesture, the fund was named the Ignace J. Paderewski Invalid Fund.
