JACKSONVILLE, Fla. –
(November 27, 2012) - Wounded Warrior Project and Operation Homefront announced, on Nov. 27, a partnership that will extend emergency financial assistance to military service members and veterans who incurred a physical or mental injury, illness, or wound, which was not due to their own misconduct, co-incident to their military service on or after September 11, 2001 and their families.
The WWP offers 18 diverse programs and services designed to provide economic empowerment to help wounded warriors get back on track.
"At WWP we set up our programs and services to ensure wounded warriors and their families are healing their minds and bodies for a lifetime, but we also realize there are times when an urgent financial need arises," said Steve Nardizzi, Wounded Warrior Project executive director. "We know other organizations like Operation Homefront provide important services and the path to fulfilling our vision of the most successful and well-adjusted generation of wounded veterans in our nation's history lies in collaboration with these organizations."
Requests for assistance, funded by WWP, were taken and fulfilled by Operation Homefront on Dec. 3. Emergency assistance, in the form of cash grants, are given to service providers to cover basic needs of food, rent, utilities, etc. To qualify, warriors had to prove a financial need exists and request assistance and submit requests online at www.OperationHomefront.net.
"Operation Homefront's primary focus is providing emergency financial assistance to the families of those deployed and to our wounded warriors during and after their recovery and transition," said Jim Knotts, Operation Homefront's president and CEO. "For years we have wanted to extend our eligibility to cover more warriors. We currently provide assistance for two years after a service member has separated from the military, and now we can help many more who have been affected by Sept. 11, 2001.
This is an amazing example of nonprofit teamwork, which plays to the strengths of both organizations. Nonprofits have to work smarter, work together more often and find ways to collaborate with the public sector to ensure our wounded warriors receive the support they will need after the current deployments end. Our country has more than 50,000 wounded and injured from Iraq and Afghanistan, who will need support for decades to come."
Operation Homefront is a national non-profit organization that provides financial and other emergency assistance to families of service members and wounded warriors. Operation Homefront has met more than 590,000 needs of military families since its inception in 2002.
Additionally, it is a four-star rated charity by watchdog Charity Navigator, nationally, 94 percent of total revenue donated to Operation Homefront goes directly to assist service members. For more information, visit www.OperationHomefront.net.
The Wounded Warrior Project® is a national nonpartisan organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla. with a mission to honor and empower wounded warriors. WWP's purpose is to raise awareness and enlist the public's aid for the needs of injured service members. The organization helps injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other; it also provides programs and services to meet their needs. To get involved and learn more, visit www.woundedwarriorproject.org.
Operation Homefront and WWP will continue to look for ways to collaborate in order to best serve wounded warriors, including synergies between WWP's Resource Center, a support center that provides resources and tools to warriors and their families.