News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE INDEPENDENCE FUND AND THE GREATEST GENERATIONS FOUNDATION JOIN FORCES TO COMMEMORATE THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF WORLD WAR II WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP
WHEN: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
WHERE: USS NORTH CAROLINA, 1 BATTLESHIP RD NE, WILMINGTON, NC
WHAT: The Independence Fund and The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation will join President Donald J. Trump and twenty-five Veterans from WWII, the Vietnam War, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom aboard the USS North Carolina as President Trump declares Wilmington an American World War II Heritage Center.
Among the heroes present will include:
- 100 year-old Pearl Harbor Survivor Mickey Ganitch, of Oakland, CA.
- Iwo Jima Veterans Everett “Bud” Hampton of Chapel Hill, NC, James Blane of Denver, CO and Thomas D. Gelwicks of Charleston, SC.
- Normandy Paratroopers Eugene Deibler and Kenneth Merritt of Fayetteville, NC.
- USMC Veteran James Bisesiof Havelock, NC, who served in WWII, Korea and two tours in Vietnam.
- General Eisenhower Radio Operator Greg Melikian of Phoenix, AZ
- 96 year-old U.S. Army Veteran Paul Phillips of Leland, NC served on the USS North Carolina while serving in WWII.
- S. Army Veteran Alex Moscowitz of Supply, NC was a duck boat driver during the Battle of Okinawa and later went on to work for the NY Port Authority.
- S. Navy Veteran Norman Meares of Supply, NC joined the National Guard at age 16 and enlisted at 17 with the help of his older sister. A high school dropout, he went on to be a naval aviator and is the former mayor of Holden Beach.
- S. Army Veteran Geoffrey Quevedo of Temecula, CA was injured by IED in Afghanistan and lost his left leg and arm.
- S. Army Veteran Kevin Brewington of Jonesville, SC lost both of his legs and part of his right arm when hit by IED in Afghanistan.
“The Independence Fund was born to celebrate the incredible sacrifices made by our combat Veterans,” said The Independence Fund CEO Sarah Verardo.” I can think of no finer endeavor than uniting our greatest generation of heroes with our latest generation of heroes. Decades may separate them, but the bond of brotherhood and commitment to our flag unites them all.”
“Every day, World War II memories—its sights and sounds, its terrors and triumphs—disappear,” said The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation President and CEO Timothy Davis. “ Yielding to the inalterable aging process, the men and women who fought and won the great conflict are now in their late 90s and 100s.”
It is difficult for anyone of this generation to fully understand what this anniversary means to the Veterans who experienced it firsthand 75 years ago. As these brave men and women continue to escort our country into the future, we must not let them, their stories or their cause be forgotten upon their passing.
MORE INFO: Interview availability for Veterans, The Independence Fund CEO Sarah Verardo and The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation President and CEO Timothy Davis available before and after the official event by RSVP only. We respectfully ask that everyone practice safe social distancing. Full Veteran bios available upon request.
ABOUT THE INDEPENDENCE FUND:
Established in 2007, The Independence Fund is a national Veterans Service Organization dedicated to meeting the unmet needs of catastrophically wounded Veterans, Caregivers and their families through a variety of programs. To learn more, visit www.independencefund.org.
ABOUT THE GREATEST GENERATIONS FOUNDATION:
The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation (TGGF) is an international Veterans organization dedicated to honoring the sacrifices of combat Veterans by sponsoring their return to their former battlegrounds, cemeteries and memorials to ensure that their legacies and the heroes of those that made the ultimate sacrifice are recorded and retold in perpetuity to future generations. To learn more, visit www.TGGF.org
THE INDEPENDENCE FUND AWARDED FUNDING FROM BOB WOODRUFF FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT VETERANS THROUGH INDEPENDENCE@HOME PROGRAM
Organizations Join Forces to Provide Emergent Needs to Veterans Affected by COVID-19
CHARLOTTE, NC (August 13, 2020) – The Independence Fund received an NFL-Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF) partnership “COVID-19: Projecting the Economic, Social and Mental Health Needs of America’s Veterans” grant to support its work with Veterans in the Independence@Home program, created out of emergent needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of this grant is to provide financial assistance to support 19 catastrophically wounded Veterans, as well as their Caregivers and members of their families.
“We are so grateful to receive this grant from such a valuable partner,” said The Independence Fund CEO Sarah Verardo. “Since the onset of this pandemic, our Veterans, their Caregivers and their families have expressed emergent needs in the form of mortage and rent assistance, utilities, childcare, transportation services, home WiFi services, household cleaning and ukeep, grocery and medical product delivery and streaming services for work and learning. Being able to meet even more Veterans at their doorstep is so valuable in providing assistance for economic and mental health needs at a time so crucial.“
To read the original grant announcement from the Bob Woodruff Foundation, please click here.
For more information on The Independence Fund, follow the organization on Facebook, Twitter (@IndyFund) and Instagram (@independencefund), or visit www.independencefund.org.
For more on the Bob Woodruff Foundation, visit https://bobwoodrufffoundation.org/ and keep up with them on Facebook, Instagram (@stand4heroes) or Twitter (@stand4heroes).
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About the Bob Woodruff Foundation
The Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF) was founded in 2006 after reporter Bob Woodruff was hit by a roadside bomb while covering the war in Iraq. Since then, the Bob Woodruff Foundation has led an enduring call to action for people to stand up for heroes and meet the emerging and long-term needs of today’s veterans. To date, BWF has invested nearly $70 million to Find, Fund and Shape™ programs that have empowered impacted veterans, service members, and their family members, across the nation. For more information, please visit bobwoodrufffoundation.org or follow us on Twitter at @Stand4Heroes.
About The Independence Fund
Established in 2007, The Independence Fund is a national Veterans Service Organization dedicated to meeting the unmet needs of catastrophically wounded Veterans, Caregivers, and their families through a variety of programs. To learn more, visit www.independencefund.org.
THE INDEPENDENCE FUND LAUNCHES “INDEPENDENCE@HOME” TO VIRTUALLY ASSIST NATION’S MOST CATASTROPHICALLY WOUNDED VETERANS WITH IMMEDIATE IMPACT
The Independence Fund has created the online program to meet the immediate needs of Veterans and their families caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
CHARLOTTE, NC (March 16, 2020) – The Independence Fund today announced that it is launching its online “Independence@Home” program to allow the organization to meet the needs of our Veterans and their families caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding will be available to assist current participants with issues resulting from COVID-19 to include mortgage/rent, utilities, childcare, transportation services, home WiFI services, household cleaning and upkeep, grocery and medical product delivery and streaming services for work and learning.
In addition, The Independence Fund is launching a volunteer-matching system to allow its volunteers to assist with providing these services to our Veterans and their families across the country.
“This is an unprecedented time for Americans,” said The Independence Fund CEO Sarah Verardo. “We know how resilient and generous the American people are and we know that we can count on them to assist us in continuing valuable services to our Nation’s heroes that deserve so much. Independence@Home will allow us to continue serving the critical needs but with flexibility and a can-do spirit to help each other in this time of need.”
Current participants are encouraged to apply for assistance at The Independence Fund’s application portal. At this time, The Independence Fund is only accepting applications from existing participants.
Individuals or corporations that would like to assist with donations or volunteer hours may visit the volunteer portal to find the most pressing needs. Direct donations can be made at our “Independence@Home” donation page.
To book an appearance with The Independence Fund’s CEO or staff to discuss “Independence@Home”, please reach out directly to Sarah Reidy-Jones.
For more information on The Independence Fund, follow the organization on Facebook, Twitter (@IndyFund) and Instagram (@independencefund), or visit www.independencefund.org.
About The Independence Fund
Established in 2007, The Independence Fund is a national Veterans Service Organization dedicated to meeting the unmet needs of catastrophically wounded Veterans, Caregivers, and their families through a variety of programs. To learn more, visit www.independencefund.org.
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Bill O’Reilly to present wounded Veteran with All-Terrain, Tracked Wheelchair alongside longtime partners The Independence Fund at Huntington event
Best Selling Author, Radio, and Television host will present an all-terrain tracked wheelchair during Sunday night’s “Understanding Trump” show at the Paramount Theater in Huntington NY.
CHARLOTTE, NC (December 13, 2019) – New York Times Best Selling Author and renowned Television and Radio Commentator Bill O’Reilly along with The Independence Fund Chief Executive Officer Sarah Verardo will be presenting a catastrophically wounded Army Veteran an all-terrain, tracked wheelchair onstage at the Paramount Theater in Huntington on Sunday evening. The relationship between Mr. O’Reilly and the Veteran nonprofit began nearly a decade ago when the political commentator toured Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Washington, DC and saw firsthand both the trauma caused by war and the incredible spirit of the Nation’s wounded warfighters.
“There is no greater responsibility for loyal Americans than to help veterans. I consider myself fortunate to have formed an alliance with The Independence Fund so I can spread the word about helping our severely wounded men and women by providing them with the amazing high-tech wheelchairs, which are life-changing for them,” said Mr. O’Reilly of his support of the Independence Fund.
Wounded U.S. Army Veteran Michael Minard will receive the life changing gift from Mr. O’Reilly and Ms. Verardo on Sunday night. On Oct. 1, 2008 Army Staff Sergeant Michael Minard of Grand Junction, Colorado, was serving his third deployment in Iraq with the 2nd Stryker Calvary Regiment. While on a reconnaissance patrol in Baghdad, north of Sadr City, SSG Minard was hit by a roadside bomb and he was catastrophically wounded. The blast resulted in the loss of both SSG Minard’s legs. After several surgeries and rehabilitation, he was medically retired from the Army. Mike currently lives in Union Beach, NJ and is pursuing a degree. The Independence Fund, a national non-profit dedicated to help rebuild the lives of the nation’s most seriously wounded Veterans and their Caregivers is based in Charlotte, North Carolina and since its formation in 2007 has given over 2,400 all-terrain, tracked wheelchairs to Warfighters around the country who have suffered catastrophic wounds and illness as a part of their service to the country.
“Mr. O’Reilly has been such a blessing to The Independence Fund and the Veterans we serve,” said Sarah Verardo, CEO of The Independence Fund. “From weekly segments on his show to nights like this one, Mr. O’Reilly has always been there for these men and women and truly shows his heart for our Nation’s heroes like Michael.” Donations can be made at www.independencefund.org/billoreilly
For more information on The Independence Fund, follow the organization on Facebook, Twitter (@IndyFund) and Instagram (@independencefund), or visit www.independencefund.org.
For more on Bill O’Reilly visit billoreilly.com and keep up with him on Facebook, Twitter (@BillOReilly) & (@NoSpinNews), and Instagram (@BillOReilly).
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About Bill O’Reilly
Bill O’Reilly is a trailblazing TV journalist who has experienced unprecedented success on cable news and in writing fifteen national number-one bestselling nonfiction books. There are currently more than 17 million books in the Killing series in print. Mr. O’Reilly does a daily podcast on BillOReilly.com. Also, his daily radio program, the O’Reilly Update, is heard on hundreds of stations across the country. He lives on Long Island.
About Sarah Verardo
Sarah Verardo is a national advocate for wounded Veterans and their Caregivers. Her husband Michael was catastrophically wounded in Afghanistan in 2010, in two separate IED attacks that took his left leg, much of his left arm, and left him with polytraumatic conditions that have required more than one hundred surgeries and years of speech, visual, physical and occupational therapies.
Starting as a volunteer with The Independence Fund, Sarah’s steadfast devotion, experience, and drive led to her eventual selection as the organization’s first Chief Executive Officer. Sarah continues carrying on the legacy of The Independence Fund’s founder by providing all-terrain, tracked wheelchairs to Veterans and has provided over 2,400 chairs to date. She also created the nonprofit’s Caregiver, Family, Adaptive Sports, and Advocacy programs, and recently developed a partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs that will combat Veteran Suicide through reunions of some of the hardest hit units of the War on Terror. This revolutionary program, Operation RESILIENCY, works with VA and DOD to recall units for peer support, relying on bonds formed during war and keeping the commitment of shared experience and brotherhood alive back home.
Sarah advises Administration officials and members of Congress on the experiences of the families of our severely wounded Veterans and has been instrumental in shaping national policy for our Warfighters and their families. Regularly appearing on cable news to commentate on the sacrifice of Veterans and Military families, Sarah is a respected subject matter expert in the field.
About The Independence Fund
Established in 2007, The Independence Fund is a national Veterans Service Organization dedicated to meeting the unmet needs of catastrophically wounded Veterans, Caregivers and their families through a variety of programs. To learn more, visit www.independencefund.org.
