Bob Woodruff Foundation | Aug. 21, 2024
NEW YORK — The Bob Woodruff Foundation has activated its Natural Disaster Fund, established with support from Craig Newmark Philanthropies, to provide critical aid to veterans and military families recently affected by Hurricane Debby. Assistance from The Bob Woodruff Foundation was provided to six Got Your 6 Network partner organizations serving affected regions in the Southeast.
$93,000 in critical aid was distributed among the following six partner organizations:
- Army Emergency Relief — Arlington, Virginia
- Volunteers of America of Florida Inc. — Tampa, Florida
- America’s Warrior Partnership — Augusta, Georgia
- Tri-County Veterans Support Network — Charleston, South Carolina
- Veterans Services of the Carolinas — Asheville, North Carolina
- Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society — Arlington, Virginia
“The Bob Woodruff Foundation has been monitoring severe weather, and the Natural Disaster Fund allows us to act promptly to ensure military and veteran families are getting the urgent relief they deserve,” said Anne Marie Dougherty, Chief Executive Officer of the Bob Woodruff Foundation. “This hurricane season has already impacted many regions where there are expansive military communities. The establishment of the Natural Disaster Fund, along with the dedication of our partners on the ground, is critical to helping this community in a time of crisis.”
RELATED: Disaster assistance grants available following Tropical Storm Debby’s impact
The activated funding for local organizations is helping military and veteran families meet their basic needs, providing resources like food, water, cleaning supplies, temporary housing, and rental of home restoration equipment.
The Natural Disaster Fund, established in November with support from Craig Newmark Philanthropies, allows BWF to respond quickly and effectively when a natural disaster strikes – providing support to veteran families who are suddenly without the essentials to live. Since 2020, BWF and Craig Newmark Philanthropies have partnered to support more than 1.6 million veterans, service members, spouses, and military children.
“While we can’t stop severe weather in its tracks, we can be a source of hope for military and veteran families in the path of natural disasters like Hurricane Debby,” said Craig Newmark, Founder of Craig Newmark Philanthropies. “I’m proud to see the Natural Disaster Fund providing fast relief — and reassurance — to those who have already sacrificed so much for our country.”
This is the third activation of the Natural Disaster Fund this year, following deployment in July after Hurricane Beryl and in response to severe flooding in Texas in May. The ongoing partnership with Craig Newmark Philanthropies on the Natural Disaster Fund underscores BWF’s commitment to assisting veterans during times of crisis.
AER partnered with BWF and Craig Newmark Philanthropies in December when tornadoes struck Tennessee, leaving Soldiers and Army Families in the Fort Campbell, Kentucky, area without housing, essential supplies and access to basic necessities.
About the Bob Woodruff Foundation
The Bob Woodruff Foundation was founded in 2006 after reporter Bob Woodruff was wounded by a roadside bomb while covering the war in Iraq. Since then, the Bob Woodruff Foundation has raised awareness about the tough challenges veterans and military families are facing, and invested in solutions to help support them in the next chapter of their lives. To date, the Bob Woodruff Foundation has invested over $159 million to ensure that our nation’s veterans, service members and their families — those who stood for us — have stable and successful futures. Visit. www.BobWoodruffFoundation.org for more information.
About Craig Newmark Philanthropies
Craig Newmark is a Web pioneer best known for creating craigslist, which he stepped away from running day-to-day two decades ago. Craig’s full-time philanthropic work focuses on supporting organizations protecting America’s security and democracy. He has given more than $300 million in support of veterans and military families, trustworthy journalism and civic engagement campaigns, cyber security education programs, hunger relief, and pigeon rescue. Craig was influenced by his Sunday School teachers who escaped the Holocaust, set his moral compass, and taught him to treat people like you want to be treated – and how to know when enough is enough. He’s not as funny as he thinks he is.