Excellence in Service to Families of Fallen and Wounded Special Operators:
Special Operations Warrior Foundation Awarded 14th Consecutive 4-Star Rating
(TAMPA, FL): Demonstrating long-standing commitments to program excellence, financial transparency, and accountability, Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF) has been awarded a 4-Star rating from Charity Navigator for the 14th consecutive year.
From Charity Navigator: “With more than 1.5 million American charities, Charity Navigator aims to accentuate the work of efficient and transparent organizations. Special Operations Warrior Foundation received the highest possible rating and indicates that the organization adheres to sector best practices and executes its mission in a financially efficient way. Attaining a 4-star rating verifies that SOWF exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in their area. Less than 1% of the charities evaluated receive at least 14 consecutive 4-star evaluations.”
Special Operations Warrior Foundation funds all educational expenses from “cradle to career” – for the children of fallen Special Operations personnel including Army Rangers, Special Forces, Marine Raiders, Air Commandos, and Navy SEALs. There is no application to qualify for funding, and there is no financial cap on undergraduate college funding. Funding specifically includes pre-school (including resources for children with special needs), primary and high school tutoring, college testing prep, college visits, tuition, room & board, books, and more. Upon confirmation of an operator losing their life in the line of duty, SOWF’s Scholarship and Family Outreach family team proactively contacts surviving spouses within 60 days. From that day forward, SOWF provides surviving family members with a lifetime of information, funding, and emotional support.
Over 360 funded students have graduated college through the support of SOWF and 170 students are currently enrolled in college. Today, SOWF is committed to supporting 850 surviving children, two of whom will be born this upcoming Thanksgiving. For the next 23 years, SOWF will support these children through college graduation.
From CEO Clay Hutmacher, Major General, USA (Ret): “As the former Director of Operations for US Special Operations Command, I understand the profound losses that our families face. We are deeply honored to be connected with all of these children’s lives, and we will continue working tirelessly for the next 40 years of SOWF to fulfill our enduring promise to the families of fallen and wounded SOF Warriors. We will always be by their side.”
SOWF also provides immediate emergency funding to families of severely wounded operators so they can quickly travel & reunite with the operator upon arriving back in the US for medical care. These recovering operators are relocated to Department of Defense medical facilities like Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and the Brooks Army Burn Center.
2020 will mark the 40th Anniversary of Special Operations Warrior Foundation. In this monumental year, SOWF will launch a special campaign to fortify the next 40 years of service to surviving families and recovering warriors. Special Operations Forces are experiencing the highest combat casualty rate while serving for our nation’s security. Already this year, with minimal public recognition, 21 Warriors sacrificed their lives while serving our country.
Some of the goals for this milestone anniversary campaign include fully funded educations for the 850 children currently supported by SOWF, new internships and career training resources for all post-high school students, and of course, continuing to provide educational funding and recovery support for additional families of fallen and wounded SOF Warriors.
To view Special Operations Warrior Foundation’s full profile on Charity Navigator: please click here.
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“I don’t have words. You guys are making such a difference in Declan’s quality of life and giving him a chance at really being able to succeed, and I don’t know how to thank you. I feel so lucky. Somehow, even though Matthew doesn’t get to be here, he’s still looking out for our son and I just can’t tell you what it means but I’m going to spend the day crying and hugging Declan. Thank you thank you thank you.”
Contact:
Marc Portugal
Director of Development
813.805.9400
marcp@specialops.org
