Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund: Our Mission

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The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund is a leader in supporting the men and women of the Armed Forces and their families. Begun in 2000 under the auspices of the Intrepid Museum Foundation, and established as an independent not-for-profit organization in 2003, the Fund has provided close to $60 million in support for the families of military personnel lost in service to our nation, and for severely wounded military personnel and veterans. These efforts are funded entirely with donations from the public, and hundreds of thousands of individuals have contributed to the Fund. 100% of contributions raised by the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund go towards these programs; all administrative expenses are underwritten by the Fund's Trustees.

Programs:
The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund is launching a project to assist wounded warriors who suffer from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The Fund will construct a Center for Excellence to support research, diagnosis, treatment of TBI. Many of our troops suffer from TBI, from mild to severe, and these injuries sometimes do not manifest themselves for months or even years. Medical experts believe that due to the nature of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, TBI is much more prevalent in these modern conflicts than it has been in the past. It is clear that better care for TBI patients is needed and is deserved by our brave servicemen and women. The benefits of this project will extend beyond those on active duty in the Armed Forces. Like the Center for the Intrepid, our TBI Center will serve veterans injured in previous conflicts as well as those wounded in the current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Advances made in TBI can also extend to the general population, where TBI affects victims of accidents in automobiles, at construction sites, in mining, and in many other areas of life.

From 2000 to 2005 the Fund provided close to $20 million to families of United States military personnel lost in performance of their duty, mostly in service in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Fund provided unrestricted grants of $11,000 to each spouse and $5,000 to each dependent child; and $1,000 to parents of unmarried service members. The payments were coordinated with the casualty offices of the Armed Forces, to ensure all families received these benefits. In 2005, Federal legislation substantially increased the benefits granted to these families. With that mission therefore accomplished, the Fund redirected its support toward the severely injured.

In January 2007 the Fund completed construction of a $40 million world-class state-of-the-art physical rehabilitation center at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. The "Center for the Intrepid" serves military personnel who have been catastrophically disabled in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and veterans severely injured in other operations and in the normal performance of their duties. The 60,000 square-foot Center provides ample space and facilities for the rehabilitation needs of the patients and their caregivers. It includes state-of-the-art physical rehabilitation equipment and extensive indoor and outdoor facilities. The Center is co-located with two 21-room Fisher Houses that house the families of patients.

We need your help:
As the Untied States continues to suffer injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan, and as the War on Terrorism proceeds, many more military personnel and their families will need your help. Please join us in this very special effort to help support our military heroes who have sacrificed so much in service to our nation, by contributing to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. 100% of donations go directly to Fund's programs. The Fund does not deduct any portion of contributions for administrative costs; The Fund's Board of Trustees underwrites all administrative costs.

For further information about the Fund or to make a tax deductible gift contact:

Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund
One Intrepid Square West 46th St and 12th Avenue
New York, NY 10036
Phone: 800-340-HERO
Fax: 212-957-1989
E-Mail: info@fallenheroesfund.org
Website: www.fallenheroesfund.org