Charity Navigator Gives Special Operations Warrior Foundation Ninth Consecutive Four-Star Rating
Tampa, FL (PRWEB) October 03, 2014 -- For the ninth year in a row, the Special Operations Warrior Foundation has earned a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, the nation’s premier evaluator of charities.
This places the SOWF among the top 1% of charities monitored by Charity Navigator, which awards its highest rating to nonprofits that demonstrate sound fiscal management and a commitment to accountability and transparency.
As the nonprofit sector grows at an unprecedented pace, donors now expect these traits - along with quantifiable results - from the charities they choose to support, according to Charity Navigator President and CEO Ken Berger.
“We are proud to announce the Special Operations Warrior Foundation has earned our ninth consecutive 4-star rating,” Berger said. “Receiving four out of a possible four stars indicates your organization adheres to good governance and other best practices that minimize the chance of unethical activities, and consistently executes its mission in a fiscally responsible way.”
Founded in 1980, the Special Operations Warrior Foundation provides three programs:
• College scholarships for the surviving children of fallen Special Operations Forces;
• Educational and family counseling and advocacy support; and
• Immediate financial grants of $3,000 to severely-wounded Special Operations Forces service members
“The foundation continues to add children of fallen warriors to our college scholarship program, and nearly every week, I receive news that another one of our troops has been hospitalized after being engaged in combat operations,” said retired Vice Admiral and Navy SEAL Joe Maguire, president and CEO of the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.
“Our current and future donors can rely on us to be careful stewards of their generous gifts,” Maguire said.
In 2013, the SOWF’s administrative overhead was 4.9%.
Currently, 135 sons and daughters of special operations personnel who have lost their lives in service to our nation are in college, and 245 children have graduated from colleges or other post-secondary schools. But the need continues.
“We lost one of our brave Green Berets from the 7th Special Forces Group this week -- so we still have much to do,” Maguire said. “Our commitment to our fallen special operators is steadfast as we prepare to provide for the over 650 children who have yet to reach college age.
“We are here for them now to prepare them for college, and we will be there for them when they are ready to attend,” he said.
In addition to college funds, the SOWF has provided over $2.2 million in financial grants to families of wounded special operators, so they can be at their loved ones’ hospital bedside.
“Last week, another Green Beret from the 1st Battallion of the 10th Special Forces Group was severely wounded in Afghanistan, and we had three special operators severely wounded and medically evacuated,” Maguire said.
“We will continue to support them as long as we are needed.”
Wendy Bourland, Special Operations Warrior Foundation, http://www.specialops.org, +1 (813) 805-9400, [email protected]
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