Reston, Va. — The A. James and Alice B. Clark Foundation is supporting the meaningful work of Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation (Fallen Patriots) with a $5 million donation to provide scholarships for children of fallen military personnel.
This gracious donation will cover nearly $1 million in college debt for children of fallen military personnel. The remaining funds will assist approximately 250 scholars currently enrolled in college.
Since its inception, Fallen Patriots has provided more than $17 million to support 845 college students and has helped 317 college students graduate debt free.
Partners like the A. James and Alice B. Clark Foundation are changing the lives of those left behind by helping them achieve their career aspirations through college education. The need for financial support is significant as government aid does not cover the full cost of college, leaving an average funding gap per student of $32,000 for four years. Over 97% of surviving spouses are female, making this a major women’s issue as well. Approximately 20,000 students from across America are still in need of assistance.
Haley Hartwick lost her father to the war in Iraq and graduated from Baylor University debt-free with the assistance of Fallen Patriots. She has a passion for giving back and is joining the Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation team as a Scholarship Administrator.
“Because of the financial help of Children of Fallen Patriots, I was able to have the most incredible experiences that not only shaped my college career, but also me as a person,” Hartwick said. "Thanks to their generous contribution, my brother and I can walk away from college debt-free, which is a huge blessing for my mother and our family.”
The A. James and Alice B. Clark Foundation, formerly the Clark Charitable Foundation, provides investments to help hard workers with a drive to achieve. The Foundation seeks out grantees that build practical, immediate and concrete connections between effort and opportunity — from creating scholarships for engineering students to improving schools for D.C.’s children to providing veteran reintegration programs.
“The Foundation is honored to help students like Haley with academic scholarships so they can get a solid start in life through the extraordinary work of Fallen Patriots,” said Bob Flanagan of the A. James and Alice B. Clark Foundation. “We believe children who carry the burden of a lost parent don’t need the added burden of student debt.”
“This very generous gift bears witness to the tremendous patriotism of the Clark family and their desire to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country by caring for those they loved most in the world – their children,” said David Kim, co-founder and CEO of Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation. “I could not think of a more fitting way to honor our fallen service members, and all of us at Fallen Patriots are very grateful.”
About Fallen Patriots
Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation honors the sacrifices of military heroes by ensuring the success of their children through college education. Since 2002, Children of Fallen Patriots has provided more than $17 million in total assistance, including college scholarships, supplemental grants and educational counseling to 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 fallenpatriots.org.
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