Children of Fallen Patriots to Receive Bezos Courage and Civility Award Match from Admiral William McRaven

ARLINGTON, Va., Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation (CFP) received a $1 million match gift commitment thanks to a generous contribution from retired U.S. Navy Admiral William McRaven and his wife Georgeann. Admiral McRaven recently received the 2024 Bezos Courage & Civility Award, an award given by Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez to recognize and support leaders who address societal issues with courage and civility. The award will match new donations received by CFP until July 31, 2025, doubling the impact of contributions made during this period and supporting the organization's mission to provide college scholarships and educational counseling to military children who have lost a parent in the line of duty.

The Peak Need is Now
The $1 million challenge grant is crucial to addressing an urgent need: While our nation is not actively at war, the echoes of previous conflicts continue for children of fallen service members. With a projected $300 million shortfall over the next 20 years, CFP requires over $150 million in the next four years alone to support Gold Star children affected by the severe losses in Iraq and Afghanistan. These students are now of college age and rely on CFP's help to bridge the gap between government assistance and the actual cost of their education. (Gold Star is a designation made by the US Government to recognize family members who lost a family member who served in the US Armed Forces, in the line of duty of their service.) 

There are an estimated 25,000 children of fallen service members from all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces who have died as a result of combat casualties, military training accidents, service-related illnesses, suicide, as well as other duty-related deaths over the last 35+ years. CFP has identified over 13,000 of these children and is assisting them in their growing success. 100% of the children supported lost a parent, 96% of the surviving parents are female, and, of those that are working, 52% earn less than $50K a year. Furthermore, 33% of the families left behind are minorities, and 38% of the children are first-generation college students. These facts heavily disadvantage these children, driving a higher education disparity that results in a staggering decrease in lifetime earning expectancy. With CFP's support and based on an independent study by the Bridgespan Group, an independent and leading social impact consulting firm, one scholarship lifts the lifetime earnings of these children by $400K on average, resulting in a 16x ROI for every dollar invested into their program.

"We are incredibly grateful to Admiral McRaven and his wife Georgeann, Jeff Bezos, and Lauren Sanchez for their recognition and support of our efforts to provide life-changing educational opportunities for Gold Star children," said David Kim, founder of Children of Fallen Patriots. "This generous matching donation will help us continue to honor the sacrifices made by our fallen heroes by ensuring their children can achieve their educational dreams."

Supporting CFP is a direct way to honor the ultimate sacrifice made by our military heroes. These servicemembers gave their lives to protect our freedom, and their children deserve every opportunity to thrive. 

A Challenge to Donors 
Your donation is more than a scholarship; it invests in a child's future by covering everything from application fees to SAT/ACT prep and even professional development and career opportunities through CFP's Career Center. Your contribution will have a lasting impact, transforming lives and carrying forward the legacy of their parents' sacrifice. Help CFP continue its mission to "find them all, help them all." Every dollar brings CFP closer to giving these children the future their parents fought to protect.

Children of Fallen Patriots will be raising funds to be matched through July 31, 2025. Act now to honor their parents' sacrifice and help ensure these scholars receive the education they deserve. If interested in learning more about how to apply your donation, please contact CFP at contact@fallenpatriots.org or 866-917-2373. To make a donation online, please visit https://donate.fallenpatriots.org. 

About Admiral McRaven
Admiral William McRaven, a retired U.S. Navy Four-Star admiral and former Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, has led America's most elite forces. He oversaw the 2011 Navy SEAL raid that led to the death of Osama bin Laden. Recognized as a national authority on U.S. foreign policy, he has advised Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and other U.S. leaders on defense issues. CFP presented him their annual Patriot Award in 2014 for his dedication to servicemembers and their families. 

About Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation
Children of Fallen Patriots (CFP) honors the sacrifices of our fallen military heroes by ensuring the success of their children through college education. Since 2002, we have provided over $68 million in scholarships to over 3,500 military children from all branches who lost a parent in the line of duty. CFP has earned a perfect rating from Charity Navigator, and due to generous Board donations, 98% of third-party donations go to programs. Learn more at www.fallenpatriots.org.

About the Bezos Courage & Civility Award
The Bezos Courage & Civility Award was established in 2021 to support leaders addressing today's seemingly intractable problems. Recipients are selected based on their work in philanthropic areas of societal importance, recognizing them as leaders who aim high and pursue solutions with courage and civility. The 2021 inaugural recipients were Van Jones and José Andrés. The 2022 recipient was Dolly Parton. William McRaven and Eva Longoria were 2024 recipients.