AUGUSTA -- A new license plate that allows drivers to express their support for the troops -- and contribute to a fund to help military families -- will be unveiled Friday.

Every time someone buys a "We Support Our Troops" plate, money will go to a fund that will give out loans or grants to military families who face a crisis.

Those needs, whether it's a car repair, money for heating oil or help fixing a broken water heater, aren't always covered by military pay or other military programs, said Master Sgt. Barbara Claudel, State Family Program director for the Maine National Guard.

The money is there for families before, during and after deployment, she said. In addition to providing money for a family in need, the license plates will send a message to troops.

"It's not a political statement, it's support for those who are serving," she said.

The plate is one of six specialty plates offered by the state that raise money for specific causes. The most popular, the conservation plate, raised $907,507 in fiscal year 2007 for wildlife conservation, said Don Cookson, spokesman for Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap.

In October, the state began issuing the Maine Agriculture specialty plate, with proceeds going to support the Maine Agriculture Education Fund. The troop plate will be unveiled Friday at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles on Anthony Avenue in Augusta.

Specialty plates cost $20 more than the regular registration fee of $25.

It's not easy to get approval for a specialty plate because of a specific set of steps that must be followed, ending with legislative approval.

Supporters must gather 2,000 signatures to show there's a market for the plate, along with $40,000 to pay start-up costs of producing the plate, Cookson said.

In the case of the troop plate, it took two and a half years to complete the process, said bill sponsor Rep. Donald Pilon, D-Saco. He said he gathered signatures and money at ball games and other public events,with the help of a group of volunteers.

Pilon said only a few people told him they had trouble supporting the effort because they oppose the war. Moving forward, the money can also be used to help the families of those deployed for national emergencies, such as Hurricane Katrina.

"While these men and women are making sacrifices, and we're going about our daily lives, don't you think we should step up and take care of them?" Pilon said. "And, it's a way to show our support in an organized manner."