Donation Supports College Scholarships for Children of Military Heroes
Dulles, Virginia – (February 10, 2021) – “We are honored and grateful to receive an incredibly generous contribution of $1 million from the Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund,” said Freedom Alliance President Tom Kilgannon. “This gift is made in the name of an American hero – the late Colonel John McHugh – and it allows us to care for the children of military heroes by helping them attain a college education.”
The Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund was established in 2014 to honor military service and sacrifice by providing college scholarships to veterans and military family members, especially to children of our nation’s fallen or disabled. The fund is inspired by Colonel John “Johnny Mac” McHugh, KIA in Kabul, Afghanistan on May 18, 2010.
“We are happy to work with Freedom Alliance on our shared goal of caring for the children of military heroes,” said MaryEllen Picciuto, President of Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund (JMSF). “Our collaboration is important because it results in efficiencies for all of us, especially our scholarship recipients,” Picciuto continued. To date, JMSF has awarded over $20 million in college scholarships and education programs.
Colonel John McHugh was a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and served 24 years in the Army. He made the ultimate sacrifice on May 18, 2010, in Kabul, Afghanistan, along with 17 others, when a suicide bomber attacked his convoy. McHugh’s West Point classmates began a fundraising effort to cover college expenses for his children. Their success led to the creation of the Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund so they could support other military families who’ve faced the same loss.
This year, with the help of JMSF, Freedom Alliance is providing scholarships to 558 students, each the son or daughter of a service member who was killed or permanently disabled in a combat mission or training accident. To date, the organization has awarded $18.5 million in scholarships.
“This is a challenging time for college students,” said Kilgannon, “but fortunately we’re blessed to have a tremendous partner in Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund, who believes as we do that the sacrifices of these heroes and their families must never be forgotten by a grateful nation.
An estimated 7,000 children have lost a parent in Operations Enduring Freedom or Iraqi Freedom. Freedom Alliance also helps injured troops with recreational rehab, retreats, mortgage-free homes, and all-terrain chairs. See more at www.FreedomAlliance.org or www.FAScholarship.com.
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