Reston, VA – Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation (CFP/Fallen Patriots) is proud to announce that since its inception in 2002, the nonprofit organization has assisted more than 1,000 children of killed military personnel through the distribution of over $21 million in scholarships and other support.
In 1989, five days before Christmas, Sergeant William Delaney Gibbs from the 7th Infantry Division was killed in action during Operation Just Cause in Panama, leaving behind a young wife and an unborn daughter. Fallen Patriots co-founder and CEO, David Kim, who served in the same unit with Sergeant Gibbs, was inspired by Sergeant Gibb’s sacrifice to establish the Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation with his wife, Cynthia, in 2002. CFP’s mission is to provide college scholarships and educational counseling to military children from all branches who lost a parent in the line of duty.
Existing government programs do not cover the full cost of college for these students and leave a $500 million gap in funding for the 20,000 Gold Star children who have been left behind by troops killed in the line of duty over the past 35 years. Surviving families struggle to make ends meet with 63 percent of surviving spouses making less than $50,000 per year. Through scholarships and educational counseling, Fallen Patriots has helped to bridge the $32,000 gap between government assistance programs and the cost of a four-year degree that CFP scholars face.
“We believe that one of the best ways we can honor our fallen heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country is to invest in the future of those they loved most in the world – their children. A college education is the key to a bright future for any child and the generosity of our supporters is making those hopes and dreams come true,” notes David Kim, co-founder and CEO of Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation. “We are honored by the support of the thousands of individuals and companies across America who have answered this call. Not every patriot wears a uniform and we are deeply grateful to all those who are rendering this important service to our military and their families.”
With backing from its partnerships, CFP raises awareness and funds for the foundation’s mission as well as provides holistic care for its scholars, which encompasses educational benefits, internship opportunities, and job placements. These partnerships include: Citibank, A. James and Alice B. Clark Foundation, Kelly Clarkson, Credit Suisse, IHOP, Iron Mountain, Inc., Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund, K&N Filters, PepsiCo, Royal Bank of Canada, Dr. Laura Schlessinger, Vineyard Vines and many others.
Asher Stumpf Patton, son of U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Richard Edward Stumpf, Jr., who passed away in 1994, explains, “I’m not sure who else has been on the receiving end of someone paying for something as big as your college education, but the feeling of gratitude is indescribable.” After graduating debt-free in 2016 with a degree in mechanical engineering from the Florida Institute of Technology, Asher was hired into the engineering management department at K&N Engineering, whose CEO, Tom McGann, is also the Chairman of CFP. “Fallen Patriots has taken care of me beyond college by providing me with a career. CFP has honored my father’s life by impacting mine in a way that I never could have imagined.”
About Fallen Patriots
Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation honors the sacrifices of our fallen military heroes by ensuring the success of their children through college education. Since 2002, Fallen Patriots has provided more than $21 million in total assistance, including college scholarships and educational counseling to over 1,000 military children who have lost a parent in the line of duty. Nearly 20,000 children from all across America will need future assistance. Help today by visiting www.fallenpatriots.org.
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