Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund - November 2007 Charity-of-the-Month
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Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund
825 College Blvd, Suite 102
PMB 609
Oceanside, CA 92057
tel: 1-703-640-0181 East Coast
tel: 1-760-725-3680 West Coast
fax: 1-760-725-3685
web: semperfifund.org
OUR MISSION
The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund provides financial assistance and quality of life solutions to:
- Marines and Sailors injured in combat, training or with life threatening illnesses
- Other service members injured while in direct support of Marine units
- Their families - to help defray the expenses incurred during hospitalization, rehabilitation and recovery
- Help with expenses associated with the purchase of specialized equipment, adaptive vans or vehicles, and handicap home purchases and/or modifications
Our pledge to our heroic wounded who are injured while serving their country is that we will never stop "Serving Those Who Preserve Our Freedom."
THE INJURED MARINE SEMPER FI FUND
Established in May 2004, the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund is a nonprofit 501 (c) 3 organization that has provided over 5,500 grants totaling over $14 million in assistance to our Nation's wounded heroes and families. This assistance helps with immediate financial needs and perpetuating needs, such as modified transportation, home modifications, and specialized equipment.
When a Marine, Sailor, or other service member is injured, families share the pain and the burden of recovery. Normal life is put on hold as loved ones travel great distances, to be at the bedside, often for weeks or months. Recovery from major and catastrophic injuries may take years to recover. When the family members take leave from their jobs, often without pay, and incur additional expenses for child-care, lodging, travel, and other necessities, most are unprepared for the expenses. They need help, and they need it quickly. The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund meets this need.
The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund provides financial assistance and quality of life solutions to:
1) Marines and Sailors injured in combat, training, or with life threatening illnesses
2) their families- to help defray the expenses incurred during hospitalization, rehabilitation, and recovery
3) other service members injured while in direct support of Marine units and their families
4) help with expenses associated with the purchase of specialized equipment, adaptive vans or vehicles, and handicap home purchases and/or modifications
The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund relies on the generous donations, both small and large, from patriotic citizens, corporations, and foundations from across the country. Please join us in our quest of "serving those who preserve our freedom."
WHERE WE HELP
- National Naval Medical Center Bethesda
- Walter Reed Army Medical Center
- Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune
- Brooke Army Medical Center
- Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton
- Naval Medical Center San Diego
- VA Hospitals
- Hawaii, Germany, Okinawa
OUR PROGRAMS
Family Support Program
Providing direct financial assistance to families to help aid with travel expenses incurred because of the injury suffered.
Mobility Program
Provides financial subsidizing in order to obtain modified transportation and iBot chairs.
Home Modification Program
Grants to assist with home modifications not covered by the VA.
Specialized Equipment Program:
Assists in obtaining specialized equipment needed for injuries suffered, such as traumatic brain injuries, burns and visual impairments.
Family Support Program
The Family Support Program provides direct financial assistance, in the form of a check, which the grant recipient can put toward the expenses that he or she feels are most pressing. Typically the Marine/families use this money to help with travel expenses, food, and lodging that are not covered by the military Invitational Travel Orders or for bills back home such as mortgage payments, car payments, and utility bills due to loss of income while at their loved ones bedside.
Mobility Program:
The Mobility Program provides assistance with purchasing modified transportation and iBot chairs. For those with severe injuries, IMSFF pays the difference between the VA benefit and the total cost so that the service member does not have a car payment.
Home Modification Program
IMSFFs Home Modification Program provides up to $50,000 for modifications not covered by the VA for each of our grant recipients who need modifications to his or her home, to make it wheelchair accessible.
Specialized Equipment Program
This program covers the cost of visual enhancement devices for the visually impaired, software programs for those with traumatic brain injuries, orthopedic mattresses for those with multiple injuries, burns and laptops for those who are going back to school, and iBot chairs for amputees or those who are paralyzed who have needs beyond a wheelchair. It also covers the cost of any piece of equipment that will improve the quality of life of our grant recipients with disabilities.
HISTORY
The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund had its genesis in April 2003 at the Naval Hospital, Camp Pendleton, CA. Karen Guenther, a registered nurse and spouse of an active duty Marine, saw first hand the challenges faced by wounded Marines and sailors as they returned from Operation Iraqi Freedom. She, along with a dedicated group of military spouses and hospital employees, began to organize Welcome Home activities at the hospital. They also coordinated much needed air transportation provided by Angel Flight.
Through the generosity of caring individual donors, MCCS, and especially Col. Jack Kelly, USMC (Ret), president of the nonprofit 'Nice Guys', they were able to greet each medevac flight with Welcome Home bags. Each bag provided basic necessities, toiletries, and phone cards, along with hugs and encouragement, to boost morale and show support for those heroes and their families. One Marine Lance Corporal, now a quadriplegic, received a new mini van, fully equipped, just three weeks after Karen and Jack Kelly heard about his needs. The van was courtesy of the 'Nice Guys.' This one case was the major inspiration for starting the IMSFF. Karen felt that if these needs were occurring at NHCP, other Marines across the country were probably in similar situations.
A need existed for a program to fill the gaps nationwide.
Because of the success of the group's efforts at Camp Pendleton during OIF I and with the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom ll, the original group: Karen Guenther, Dawn Olson, Annette Conway, Sondria Saylor, Karen Kelly, Helen Toolan, Wendy Lethin, Bill Bonney, and Sarah Dalke, again assembled for action. Karen's kitchen table became the working place for the development of the IMSFF. Others were added to the effort. Rene Bardorf, a public relations professional, was brought in to help with formation of the East Coast IMSFF network. Rene was asked to visit at Naval Hospital Bethesda, to identify needs on the East Coast. Lyndsie Hesener was brought on board to help develop a financial plan. Liz Quist and Joanna Woblewski also joined the team.
By May 2004, the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund was incorporated in California. Vince Bartolotta and Daral Mazzarella provided pro-bono legal services. A wide variety of professionals became volunteers early on, bringing a wealth of diverse talent. Other volunteers came on board with backgrounds in finance, law, administration, and accounting. Ben Saylor and Bill Bonney brought years of Marine Corps experience and Navy Chaplain Dallman brought his heart to the project. A Governing Board and an Advisory Board were formed, composed of volunteers who brought wisdom, professionalism, and a true heart for the sacrifices made by today's military heroes.
General Alfred Gray (29th Commandant of the Marine Corps), LtGen Gregory Newbold, MajGen J. Michael Myatt, and SgtMaj Lonnie Sanders joined the Governing Board of Directors in the Summer of 2004.
The Fund's first official donation, from the Lighthouse Christian Church in Oceanside, California, assisted the first three wounded Marines. It was the first donation of many. The success of the Fund has been beyond what was first envisioned, due to the extraordinary generosity of patriotic citizens across the country.
As the original members look back on the development of the Fund, they truly believe that divine intervention helped this Fund surpass the goals set for, "helping those who preserve our freedom"
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Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund
825 College Blvd, Suite 102
PMB 609
Oceanside, CA 92057
tel: 1-703-640-0181 East Coast
tel: 1-760-725-3680 West Coast
fax: 1-760-725-3685
web: semperfifund.org
