Celebrating Our First Year
June 29th, 2012
"Soldier at Sundown" by Martina Berger Winner of our 2011 Greeting Card Design Contest
As our first year anniversary approaches on June 30, I would like to take this special opportunity to thank you for your trust and commitment to the Gary Sinise Foundation. It has been a great year, in large part because of individuals like yourself who have shown tremendous strength and support for our nation’s defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need.
This past year, the Gary Sinise Foundation helped raise funds to build two custom state-of-the-art Smart Homes for quadruple amputee veterans. Because the need is so great, we have partnered with the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation to form Building for America’s Bravest™. This gives us the opportunity to raise funding, as well as contribute funding, for the construction costs of ten additional Smart Homes in 2012 for severely wounded warriors and their families.
Your gift also allows me and the Lt. Dan Band to perform benefit concerts in the communities where each of these Smart Homes will be built. Our first concert, for Lance Cpl. Juan Dominguez in Temecula, California raised over $130,000 toward Juan’s new home, while rallying the support of his local community. Please visit our website to watch Juan’s journey, which was beautifully documented by “60 Minutes.”
Your generosity has helped us provide meals for deploying and returning troops, offer emergency needs for the grief-stricken families of our fallen heroes, provide scholarship funding for families in need, and send school supplies to our deployed warriors who are able to foster trust and goodwill among the impoverished children living in the communities where the much needed care packages are delivered. Additionally, we were able to supply funding for two sport utility vehicles, named “Lt. Dan Vans,” to the FDNY Fire Family Transport Foundation. These vehicles provide transportation for first-responders and their families to and from medical facilities in times of need.
As we move into our second year, my vision for the Gary Sinise Foundation is that we build upon the momentum created during our inaugural year. With a continued commitment from supporters like you, we will expand upon our mission to support our nation by honoring and giving back to those who serve and defend us all.
I encourage you to partner with us. There is so much work to be done.