Special Operations Warrior Foundation Announces $1 Million Gift from Sportsgrants Foundation

Online, November 16, 2011 (Newswire.com) - The Special Operations Warrior Foundation, a top-rated nonprofit organization that supports the families of fallen and wounded military special operations personnel, was awarded a $1 million gift yesterday from Sportsgrants Foundation at the 7th Annual Emerald Coast Salute to Special Operations Forces dinner held in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

The gift will provide funding for the foundation's two programs - college educations for the children of fallen Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps special operations personnel; and immediate financial grants to the families of severely wounded special operations personnel.

The Special Operations Warrior Foundation has been supporting the special operations community since 1980; however, since the September 11 terrorist attacks the foundation has seen a significant increase of casualties. The special operations community has lost nearly 500 special operators since Sept. 11. Those warriors have left behind 518 young children who the foundation has pledged a college education, bringing the total number of children in the program to 911.

The Sportsgrants Foundation, who had donated $100,000 earlier in the year, dedicated its sixth annual fundraising event, Fight Gone Bad 6, to raising $1 million for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. Located in Hood River, Ore., and a staff of two, Fight Gone Bad 6 took place on September 17th in over 1,000 Cross Fit locations, in 16 countries around the world. Over 16,000 athletes participated in a 17-minute grueling workout and collected over 45,000 donations to show their support of SOWF.

"Sportsgrants Foundation has reinvented athletic fundraising, and a big part of that is we only give money to organizations that are efficient and produce specific measurable results, at no cost the organization. We are so honored to support SOWF, and look forward to supporting them again in 2012," said Scott Zagarino, founder of Sportsgrants Foundation.

Last year, the foundation provided $4.8 million in college scholarship grants, financial aid, beneficiary support and secured funds for future obligations.

"This generous gift will provide a college education for many deserving young men and women for years to come," said John T. Carney, Jr., SOWF President/CEO. "One of the sad realities is that many of the children in our program are at a very young age, often toddlers, and we have a commitment to provide a college education for every child of a fallen warrior. With more than 500 children in our program who have yet to reach college age, this gift helps us assure those widows or widowers that the foundation will be around when that young girl or boy reaches college age."

The SOWF currently has 140 students attending colleges and universities across the country on SOWF scholarships, which provide tuition, books, fees, room and board, computer and printer.

The foundation has provided $1.3 million in support of severely wounded special operations troops and their families.

The Special Operations Warrior Foundation has been awarded a four-star rating for its sixth consecutive year by Charity Navigator for its financial efficiency. Last year, the foundation's administrative overhead was less than 6 percent.