FISHER HOUSE - HELPING MILITARY FAMILIES

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Recipients Selected for 2011 “Newman’s Own” Award

Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff

Presents Awards in Pentagon Ceremony

Admiral Mike Mullen, USN, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, provided remarks at the twelfth annual Newman’s Own Award Ceremony at the Pentagon on September 2, 2011, as awards totaling $75,000 were presented to six non-profit organizations for their innovative programs to improve military quality of life.

Knights of Heroes Foundation, was given the highest honor and received the corresponding $15,000 award. The foundation hosts a wilderness adventure camp that empowers boys and girls who have lost their father in military service through positive metorship, character development, and lasting friendships. The bonds created at the camp last throughout the year. "Knights of Heroes" kids reunite at programs such as TAPS and Snowball Express and many remain in close contact with their camp mentors.  The knowledge that there is someone they can rely on brings great comfort to these children.

Newman’s Own, Fisher House Foundation, and Military Times (Gannett Government Media Corporation) sponsored the competition, which seeks to reward ingenuity and innovation for programs that benefit service men and women and their families.

“The challenge for Newman’s Own is fairly simple: help make  funding available  to carry out innovative plans that help improve the quality of life for the military community,” according to Tom Indoe, president of Newman’s Own, Inc.

Admiral Mullen was joined by Indoe; Ken Fisher, Chairman and CEO of Fisher House Foundation; and Tobias Naegele, Editor in Chief at Military Times (Gannett Government Media Corporation), in presenting the awards. 

Including this year’s awards, the annual competition that began in 1999 has recognized 139 programs with awards totaling $725,000.

A total of 186 entries were received for the 2011 program.  Six judges evaluated each entry based on the organization’s impact to the respective communities, creativity and innovation.

Judges for the 2011 competition were:

      Mrs. Deborah Mullen               Spouse of Admiral Mike Mullen, USN       

     Mrs. Lynn Pace                           Spouse of General Peter Pace, USMC (Ret.)

      Mrs. Mary Jo Myers                 Trustee, Fisher House Foundation

      Mrs. Tammy Fisher                  Trustee, Fisher House Foundation

      Mr. Bill Lee                             Vice President, Operations, Newman’s Own,

                                                             Inc.

      Mr. Mark Tilley                          Director, Sales, Newman’s Own, Inc.

Overall Winning Entry

$15,000 AWARD

"Knights of Heroes Summer Camp"

Knights of Heroes Foundation, Colorado Springs, Colorado

The Knights of Heroes Foundation is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization that empowers children who have lost their fathers during military service by providing positive adult mentorship, character development, and lasting friendships forged during an annual wilderness adventure camp.  The foundation hosts families with common losses allowing them to share experiences and build relationships while increasing public awareness and ensuring that families with losses are not forgotten with the passage of time.  The objectives of the program include teaching children to be responsible, proactive, boundless, bold and to exercise leadership while rejecting immorality, substance abuse, infidelity and a sense of entitlement. For more information, contact Steven Harrold (sjstharrold@hotmail.com).

$12,000 AWARD

“Little Heroes”

Armed Services YMCA, Ft. Campbell, Kentucky

This is a free pre-school program for children of deployed Soldiers.   Parents of children ages 3 and 4 can take advantage of this great opportunity to help prepare their child for Kindergarten.  Priority for this program is given to the children of Soldiers E-5 and below.  The 4 year olds program is 3 days a week for 3 hours each day and the 3 year olds come twice a week for 3 hours.  Children in this program have lots of opportunity to grow and learn.  It is a structured play atmosphere with lots of fun exciting things for them to do each day.  Our goal is for them to have a rewarding learning experience each day. Current enrollment is 73 children. For more information, contact Shirley West (Shirley.f.west1@us.army.mil).

“Teddy’s Child Watch”

Armed Services YMCA of Alaska, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska

As a result of frequent moves, deployments, and the demands of military life, military families experience exceptional burdens. The Armed Services YMCA of Alaska provides more than 30 programs and services to appreciate and assist military families with the burdens they endure. Armed Services YMCA of Alaska serves our Army, Navy, Marine, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Guard, and Reserve communities in Anchorage, Fairbanks and outlying areas in Alaska, with a concentration on the junior enlisted members in pay grades E-5 and below.  One of the premiere programs offered by the Armed Services YMCA of Alaska, in response to the needs of military families, is the Teddy’s Child Watch program (TCW).  TCW is operated at Bassett Army Community Hospital on Fort Wainwright and at the Elmendorf Hospital on Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson.  TCW offers up to 2 hours of free child care at the two military hospital facilities in Alaska. This care is made available to active duty and currently serving military families during the medical appointments of parents or sick siblings.   Parents get to focus on their health, or that of a sick child, while knowing that their other children are in a safe and fun environment.  It is not uncommon for military life to create temporary single-parent households, move military families away from their support networks, or produce financial hardships for these families. The program helps serve families affected by challenges uniquely experienced by military families. Allowing parents to focus on their health, or the health of sick children, ultimately makes the family stronger, healthier, and improves their quality of life during their assignment in Alaska. For more information, contact Mari Jo Imig (marijo.imig@akasymca.org).

“National Guard Employment Program – Helping Our Heroes at Home”

 Military Spouse Corporate Career Network, Lake St. Louis, Missouri 

The Military Spouse Corporate Career Network (MSCCN) is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization whose focus is to provide employment referral, job training, and placement services free of charge to all military spouses, veterans, transitioning military, National Guardsmen, Reserves and military family members.  MSCCN is the only nonprofit organization that works as an employment partner to every branch of the Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and National Guard) through Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), working with all levels, from Headquarters on down to the military family center, to increase employment opportunities for all military and veteran job seekers.  MSCCN does not duplicate services, but works with each branch of service to help build support programs to add additional value to the employment services provided by the Department of Defense, the states, and private funded organizations.  Additionally, the MSCCN connects with employers and military job seekers together through a unique partnership that has been fostered with DirectEmployers Association, a group of Charter Members, and numerous sponsors and donors.  In 2011 the MSCCN entered into a partnership with the National Guard Bureau and DirectEmployers Association to expand employment programs and support to all National Guard.  Through the National Guard Employment Network program, we will provide employment readiness and job placement support for all National Guardsmen and their families as well as employment training and support for each National Guard state Command and their employment teams.  It is the intent of this program to improve the National Guard force stability by improving its members' ability to seek, obtain, and retain civilian employment after they return home from overseas deployments. For more information, contact Stacy Bayton (s_bayton@msccn.org).

“Emergency Subsidies”

Military Women in Need, Los Angeles, California

It is the mission of Military Women In Need to empower female veterans and survivors to live their lives with independence and dignity. Through housing assistance, emergency subsidies, resource and referral services, and home visits Military Women In Need serves those who sacrificed for our freedom. Through our Emergency Subsidies program, Military Women In Need provides short-term, high-impact financial assistance to female veterans and survivors of veterans in times of need. Emergency Subsidies prevent female veterans from slipping through the cracks at critical junctures by providing for unforeseen, necessary expenses that arise that place them at risk for falling into (or back into) homelessness. Examples of emergency subsidies include security deposits, short-term rental assistance, utility fees, financial assistance for child care, etc. For more information, contact Ranlyn Hill (rhill@militarywomeninneed.org).

“Wounded Warrior Family Care Program”

Quality of Life Foundation, Woodbridge, Virginia

The Quality of Life Foundation’s Wounded Warrior Family Care Program is for families who provide full-time care to a wounded, ill, or injured veteran at home.  Often, families move home after months of providing bedside care at the hospital.  During this time, caregivers forfeit their jobs, lose employer-sponsored benefits such as retirement plans and insurances, and endure separation from their own local support network of family and friends. Then, at a point when they are financially, emotionally, and physically exhausted, they leave the safety net of 24/7 medical staff to assume sole responsibility for caregiving and navigating the maze of federal benefits and medical services for their veteran.  Caregivers can begin to feel isolated, overwhelmed and forgotten by their country. Their own needs have been long neglected and they begin to live in a cycle of survival – dealing with whatever must be handled that moment. At times, they feel hopeless.  This is when we step in to address needs like:  home modifications, respite care, caregiver retreats, services for minor children, lawn and auto care, peer support, counseling, uncovered medical and dental expenses, and other various needs.   We respond first by leveraging an existing resource – for example a service or product from a local community organization or national non-profit that caters to wounded warrior families. When existing resources cannot meet an identified need, we purchase a solution using our Unmet Needs Fund.   Clients express they feel appreciated for their sacrifices and service to country, as well as that of their veteran. For more information, contact Kimberly Munoz (kmunoz@qolfoundation.org).

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