In the beginning of the 2000s, David started to develop the idea of creating a foundation to support Gold Star Children. Before the tragic events of 9/11, he recognized a significant gap in the support available to families of fallen military members, particularly in the discrepancies between the benefits received for training accidents versus those killed in action. Determined to address this issue, David conducted a systematic study of the college scholarship market for Gold Star children, even collaborating with Harvard Business School to quantify the need: How many children were affected? What financial support did they receive? How many organizations were addressing these gaps? The initial focus of CFP was on supporting the children of those who had fallen in combat and training accidents. Following the advice of Hollie Petraeus, the scope was expanded to include children affected by suicide, aligning with duty-related deaths as deemed by the VA.  

13 years after Operation Just Cause, David was ready to answer his call, and he did. He took $10,000 out of his savings and with his wife, Cynthia, they started Children of Fallen Patriots in 2002 out of their rented townhome. The goal was audacious: find and help all 25,000 children. This mission, encapsulated in the mantra “find them all then help them all,” was met with many challenges. Initially, finding these families was incredibly difficult, and the organization operated on a shoestring budget, helping families one by one as funds allowed. David and Cynthia were a team from the start and ran CFP like a mom-and-pop shop. Cynthia would call the families in the evenings and mail out checks, and David raised the money and handled the books. There was no database, no clear way to find the families who needed help, and the early efforts were often just word-of-mouth connections from those who wanted to help in the wake of 9/11.  

The first major breakthrough came with the Army’s creation of an “opt-in” capability, allowing charities vetted by the military to contact families. This greatly increased CFP’s ability to reach those in need. The first gala, held in 2008 during the recession, raised $700,000, a significant achievement given the economic climate, though it came with considerable worry about sustaining the momentum.

By 2010, the organization was beginning to grow, thanks in part to the opt-in capability and the increasing awareness of their mission. The second gala, held in 2010, marked another milestone, though the organization still operated out of the Kim’s home, with a small team of 4-5 people. After roughly a decade, CFP had established its first office in Florida, signaling the end of its early, humble, grassroots phase and the beginnings of a more established and sustained growth.  

In 2022, CFP reached another crucial milestone with the development of the Career Center. This initiative was designed to support students beyond their academic journey by offering services such as resume building, interview preparation, internship, and job placements. Additionally, the Career Center hosts career seminars to further equip students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the professional world. The creation of the Career Center marked the transition of CFP into a full-circle program, committed to supporting students from the application process and SAT/ACT preparation through to their professional development, ensuring a comprehensive support system throughout their post-secondary education.  

Through these efforts, CFP has evolved from a small, family-run operation to a significant force in supporting Gold Star families. To date, we have provided over $77M in scholarships to more than 3,800 Gold Star students nationwide, ensuring they graduate free from the burden of debt. We employ program graduates on our staff bringing a level of compassion, understanding, and knowledge of the needs of our Gold Star children.  The Kim Family legacy of resiliency and commitment is imbued into the daily operations of CFP. We will continue to “find them all then help them all,” and  honor their parents’ sacrifice.