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One Woman's Holiday Wish Inspires $500,000 Donation To Help Hundreds Of Wounded Veterans Across The U.S.

PR NEWSWIRE 10:29 AM ET 12/22/14

LAWRENCEBURG, Tenn. , Dec. 22, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- What started as a simple Facebook wish will help hundreds of injured service members across the U.S. gain access to services and resources critical on their path to recovery.

After hearing about Capital One's #WishForOthers campaign, Kat McCord, of Lawrenceburg, TN, shared her wish for others this holiday season: to help more of our injured veterans get the support they need and deserve to live full and independent lives. McCord's wish, in turn, inspired a $500,000 donation to Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP).

"We were a bit shocked, but at the same time absolutely delighted to receive the message from Capital One telling us that they were making Kat's wish come true," said Len Stachitas, Wounded Warrior Project. "Kat's selfless and inspired wish embodies the generosity of so many people who support our mission to honor and empower Wounded Warriors. This $500,000 gift will greatly assist us in fulfilling our vision of fostering the most successful and well-adjusted generation of injured service members in our nation's history."

Tens of thousands of injured service members, families, and caregivers receive support each year through Wounded Warrior Project's holistic approach to healing. Each of the 20, free programs are uniquely structured to engage warriors, nurture their mind and bodies, and encourage economic empowerment and engagement.

Kat's wish will help hundreds of wounded veterans, such as Shane Parsons from Fostoria, OH, regain the independence and skills lost on the battlefield.

Shane lost both legs to an improvised explosive device (IED) while on duty. But the traumatic brain injury as a result of the IED blast meant that Shane also lost his long and short term memory and his ability to read and write. Through Wounded Warrior Project's Independence Program, Shane now has a team of specialists in all aspects of his care working together to give him the skills he needs to live a more fulfilling and independent life, and give Shane's mom the peace of mind that he will, one day, be able to better care for himself. To learn more about Shane, please click here.

"It is truly a heartfelt experience when someone does something this selfless," said Shane Parsons. "In my recovery, it is important that I continue re-learning what I lost, building relationships with my community and other warriors so that we may help each other, and reaching for my new normal so that I may live my life as independently as possible; and WWP helps me accomplish these goals.
This act of kindness demonstrates the public's support of those who sacrificed everything for our well-being and freedom. Thank you, Kat and Capital One."

As part of their ongoing commitment to serving warriors and their families for a lifetime, WWP developed the Independence Program to provide customized support, training, and resources for hundreds of wounded service members across the country who rely on caregivers because of brain injury, spinal-cord injury, and other neurological conditions. The Independence Program helps warriors live life to the fullest, on their own terms, and provides tangible resources like respite care for the caregiver, case management, education, life-skills training, and transportation to name a few. WWP works with the warrior and their full support team while creating an individualized plan for each warrior – focusing on goals that provide a future with a purpose at no cost to the warrior or his or her support team. The WWP Independence Program currently serves upwards of 300 warriors and by 2017, WWP will serve 1,150 of our most severely wounded, ill or injured warriors.

About Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP)
Wounded Warrior Project is recognizing its 10-year anniversary, reflecting on a decade of service and reaffirming its commitment to serving injured veterans for their lifetime. The mission of Wounded Warrior Project is to honor and empower Wounded Warriors. WWP currently serves more than 60,000 warriors and nearly 9,000 family members through its 20, unique programs and services. The purpose of WWP is to raise awareness and to enlist the public's aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and woman aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. To get involved and learn more, visit woundedwarriorproject.org.



To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/one-womans-holiday-wish-inspires-500000-donation-to-help-hundreds-of-wounded-veterans-across-the-us-300013113.html

SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project