2011: Fisher House
http://www.fisherhouse.org/
Because members of the military and their families are stationed worldwide and must often travel great distances for specialized medical care, Fisher House Foundation donates "comfort homes," built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers. These homes enable family members to be close to a loved one at the most stressful times - during the hospitalization for an unexpected illness, disease, or injury.
There is at least one Fisher House at every major military medical center to assist families in need and to ensure that they are provided with the comforts of home in a supportive environment. Annually, the Fisher House program serves more than 12,000 families, and have made available over three million days of lodging to family members since the program originated in 1990. By law, there is no charge for any family to stay at a Fisher House operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs; and Fisher House Foundation uses donations to reimburse the individual Fisher Houses operated by the Army, Navy, and Air Force. No family pays to stay at any Fisher House!
A new Fisher House will soon be under construction at the Alvin C. York VA Medical Center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee to provide “a home away from home” for the families of Veterans receiving medical treatment. The funds raised from the Team Fisher House at the 2011 Army Ten-Miler Campaign will benefit its construction.
Fisher House Foundation has received the highest possible ratings from the “watch dog” organizations that evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of nonprofit organizations: For every dollar donated to Fisher House™ Foundation, 96 percent goes directly towards Fisher House programs that help the families of active duty service members and Veterans.
There is at least one Fisher House at every major military medical center to assist families in need and to ensure that they are provided with the comforts of home in a supportive environment. Annually, the Fisher House program serves more than 12,000 families, and have made available over three million days of lodging to family members since the program originated in 1990. By law, there is no charge for any family to stay at a Fisher House operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs; and Fisher House Foundation uses donations to reimburse the individual Fisher Houses operated by the Army, Navy, and Air Force. No family pays to stay at any Fisher House!
A new Fisher House will soon be under construction at the Alvin C. York VA Medical Center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee to provide “a home away from home” for the families of Veterans receiving medical treatment. The funds raised from the Team Fisher House at the 2011 Army Ten-Miler Campaign will benefit its construction.
Fisher House Foundation has received the highest possible ratings from the “watch dog” organizations that evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of nonprofit organizations: For every dollar donated to Fisher House™ Foundation, 96 percent goes directly towards Fisher House programs that help the families of active duty service members and Veterans.
2010: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
http://www.cff.org/
The mission of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, a nonprofit donor-supported organization, is to assure the development of the means to cure and control cystic fibrosis and to improve the quality of life for those with the disease. Currently, roughly $0.84 of every dollar raised goes toward program expenses.
When the Foundation was established in 1955, children with CF were not expected to live long enough to attend elementary school. Due in large part to the Foundation's aggressive investments in innovative research and comprehensive care, the predicted median survival age for people with this disease is now more than 37 years.
In 1989, CF Foundation-supported scientists discovered the defective gene that causes cystic fibrosis—a monumental breakthrough on the road to a cure.
Until we conquer this disease, our team will work tirelessly to extend and enhance life for those with cystic fibrosis by functioning as:
Scientific pioneers: blazing new trails in CF research;
Fund-raisers: securing the money needed to support our efforts;
Advocates: keeping CF a top priority in government, industry and research;
Investors: funding drug discovery and development;
Caregivers: linking patients and families to specialized CF care; and
Family: offering support, information and resources.
When the Foundation was established in 1955, children with CF were not expected to live long enough to attend elementary school. Due in large part to the Foundation's aggressive investments in innovative research and comprehensive care, the predicted median survival age for people with this disease is now more than 37 years.
In 1989, CF Foundation-supported scientists discovered the defective gene that causes cystic fibrosis—a monumental breakthrough on the road to a cure.
Until we conquer this disease, our team will work tirelessly to extend and enhance life for those with cystic fibrosis by functioning as:
Scientific pioneers: blazing new trails in CF research;
Fund-raisers: securing the money needed to support our efforts;
Advocates: keeping CF a top priority in government, industry and research;
Investors: funding drug discovery and development;
Caregivers: linking patients and families to specialized CF care; and
Family: offering support, information and resources.
Soldiers Angels
Website: http://www.soldiersangels.org
Soldiers' Angels is a volunteer-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing aid and comfort to the men and women of the United States Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and their families. Founded by the mother of two American soldiers, its hundreds of thousands of Angel volunteers assist veterans, wounded and deployed personnel and their families in a variety of unique and effective ways.
To date, our volunteers have sent hundreds of thousands of care packages and letters to deployed service members; we have supplied the wounded with our First Response Packs directly at the Combat Support Hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan and the major military hospital in Germany, as well as provided care and comfort to those in stateside military and VA facilities; we have provided emergency aid to military families in need; we have partnered with the Department of Defense to provide voice-controlled/adaptive laptops to nearly 3,000 severely-wounded service members, as well as other technology that supports rehabilitation; we have provided flights to soldiers on leave or in emergency situations, and to their families wanting to be with them upon return from overseas; we have provided Level III KEVLAR armored blankets to give personnel extra protection in their vehicles when it was needed; we help to honor and uphold the families whose loved ones have paid the ultimate price for our freedom and safety. With the assistance of our generous supporters, the many volunteers of Soldiers' Angels have accomplished this and much, much more on behalf of the grateful citizens of the United States of America.
To date, our volunteers have sent hundreds of thousands of care packages and letters to deployed service members; we have supplied the wounded with our First Response Packs directly at the Combat Support Hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan and the major military hospital in Germany, as well as provided care and comfort to those in stateside military and VA facilities; we have provided emergency aid to military families in need; we have partnered with the Department of Defense to provide voice-controlled/adaptive laptops to nearly 3,000 severely-wounded service members, as well as other technology that supports rehabilitation; we have provided flights to soldiers on leave or in emergency situations, and to their families wanting to be with them upon return from overseas; we have provided Level III KEVLAR armored blankets to give personnel extra protection in their vehicles when it was needed; we help to honor and uphold the families whose loved ones have paid the ultimate price for our freedom and safety. With the assistance of our generous supporters, the many volunteers of Soldiers' Angels have accomplished this and much, much more on behalf of the grateful citizens of the United States of America.
2009: Wounded Warriors Project
http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/
MISSION: To honor and empower wounded warriors.
VISION: To foster the most successful, well-adjusted generation of wounded warriors in this nation's history.
PURPOSE
To raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members.
Based on our FY2009 audited financial statements ending September 30, 2009, 81% of total expenditures went to provide services and programs for our wounded warriors and their families.
Who does WWP serve?
Wounded Warrior Project's mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors who incur service-connected wounds, injuries and illnesses (physical or psychological) on or after September 11, 2001. You may also be eligible for the program if you are the spouse or family member and joining on behalf of a warrior.
Why don't you offer services to ALL veterans?
WWP began as a small, grassroots effort to provide immediate assistance when a warrior of this generation was injured. We felt we could do the most good by providing more comprehensive programs and services to the newly injured, rather than spread ourselves too thin by trying to help all veterans. We also knew there were many terrific veterans' organizations for warriors from previous conflicts, but very few focused on serving our newest generation.
VISION: To foster the most successful, well-adjusted generation of wounded warriors in this nation's history.
PURPOSE
To raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members.
- To help injured service members aid and assist each other.
- To provide unique, direct programs and services to meet the needs of injured service members.
Based on our FY2009 audited financial statements ending September 30, 2009, 81% of total expenditures went to provide services and programs for our wounded warriors and their families.
Who does WWP serve?
Wounded Warrior Project's mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors who incur service-connected wounds, injuries and illnesses (physical or psychological) on or after September 11, 2001. You may also be eligible for the program if you are the spouse or family member and joining on behalf of a warrior.
Why don't you offer services to ALL veterans?
WWP began as a small, grassroots effort to provide immediate assistance when a warrior of this generation was injured. We felt we could do the most good by providing more comprehensive programs and services to the newly injured, rather than spread ourselves too thin by trying to help all veterans. We also knew there were many terrific veterans' organizations for warriors from previous conflicts, but very few focused on serving our newest generation.
2008: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Website: http://www.stjude.org/
- On average, 5,700 active patients visit the hospital each year, most of whom are treated on an outpatient basis.
- St. Jude has 78 inpatient beds and treats upwards of 260 patients each day.
- St. Jude is the first and only pediatric cancer center to be designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute.
- St. Jude is the first institution established for the sole purpose of conducting basic and clinical research and treatment into catastrophic childhood diseases, mainly cancer.
- Research findings at St. Jude are shared freely with doctors and scientists all over the world.
- St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance. No child is ever denied treatment because of the family’s inability to pay.
- St. Jude has developed protocols that have helped push overall survival rates for childhood cancers from less than 20 percent when the hospital opened in 1962 to 80 percent today.
- The daily operating cost for St. Jude is nearly $1.5 million, which is primarily covered by public contributions.
- During the past five years, 81 cents of every dollar received has supported the research and treatment at St. Jude.