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 (up to $1 million) received by CFP until July 31, 2025, increasing 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 $1 million challenge grant is crucial to addressing an urgent need: 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.
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.
“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.”
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.
