Main fundraiser photo

Heroes Hope Onward

Tax deductible
Our Mission:

We aspire to provide relief for the families and children of veterans who've fallen serving our country. Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation provides the children of these families with a means of pursuing a college education later in their life. Since these heroes are no longer around to provide for their families, it is our privilege to step up and honor their commitment to our country by helping their children to pursue their dreams and further their education.

As current college students, we know firsthand the struggle of having to buy schoolbooks and supplies on top of the already imposing costs of tuition. These costs could be too great for someone who lost the financial support of their fallen parent/guardian. We hope to alleviate some of this stress and help students thrive in their academic environment. Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation answers this need for children and families across the country.

Use/Purpose of Funds:

Your donation will go directly to the Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation to help assist in furthering these children's education. The funds we receive will help the foundation provide the necessary resources for students to achieve their academic goals. While there are government assistance programs available to many of these families, often times this assistance isn't sufficient enough to enable the children of these veterans to pursue a secondary education. Children of Fallen Patriots helps fill in the gaps to provide these prospective students a fighting chance. On average, students seeking the help of this organization are eligible for up to $6,250 in scholarship assistance per academic year. The foundation evaluates each student’s circumstance on a case by case basis and responds to their unique needs. These funds have gone towards tuition, books, room and board and other related college and living expenses. With over $45 million in total support, Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation has impacted the lives of more than 2,000 students nationally.

The Need for Support

For the 2020-2021 academic year, average tuition and fees for attending a public college were $10,560 for in state residents. at about $17k for out of state students and a further $10k for private institutions. Room and board  adds another $11,620 at public colleges ($13,120 at private colleges), and books and supplies cost roughly $1,240.  (stats taken from collegedata.com ) This makes pursuing a college degree a difficult task for many families without assistance.

Perhaps an even more shocking statistic regarding the income of military families comes from The Lucas Group on behalf of Children of Fallen Patriots  revealing that "63% of surviving spouses [make] less than $50,000 per year," putting the hope of going to college further still out of reach for families who lost a parent in the line of duty.  Government assistance is available to students via The Fry Scholarship (Chapter 33) or Dependents Education Assistance (DEA) (Chapter 35) and other programs, but these do not cover the full cost of a college education. For many families, any remaining costs of tuition, room and board, and other uncovered costs, make attending college unaffordable. Children of Fallen Patriots helps to bridge this gap, making pursuing a college degree possible.

Our Story

Organizers: Vincenzo Maselli & Robert Coutu

We’re a couple of college students and sons of military service members. Falling under these categories we find ourselves positioned to truly empathize with this cause having the shared perspective of having a parent in the military and pursuing school. While we have been blessed enough to have both our parents still with us, Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation aims to help kids just like us who weren’t as lucky. We can’t give back what these families lost, but we can help honor the sacrifice of the men and women who fell in the line of duty for this country in aiding the families they left behind.

Vincenzo Maselli

My father served in the Air National Guard for 20 years before he retired. During the summer of 2005, my dad was deployed in Iraq. I was 8 years old at the time and I remember missing him, but one day we received a package from him. Inside was a toy he had bought for me. It was a new Lego set, something that he and I would often do together, and I remember that day I didn’t miss him as much. Even though he was thousands of miles away, when I got that package, he was right there. I still have the set today.

Since then, my father has worked hard to be a part of my life and make sure I had every opportunity to succeed in life. Unfortunately, not every kid is as lucky as I was, so when I found the Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation, I remembered that day I got that toy from my dad and grew very sad. Thinking about what experiences the families of these fallen heroes will miss following the loss of one or more parents is heartbreaking. In addition to the emotional toll, for many families, this loss of income can make something like going to college exponentially more difficult, and I felt an overwhelming urge to help however I could. I’m excited about this fundraiser and the help we can provide to these families.

Robert Coutu

My father was in the United States Army during Afghanistan and Iraq. He had reached the rank of Major during his service, he was a pilot for the Army and flew chinooks during his time in the service.  My dad has been a constant positive influence on my life and has provided me and my family with anything and everything he could. However, many people whose family members served don't always get the opportunity of getting that loved one back into their lives.  I hope with the Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation, we can help these children, who have lost a loved one in the service, receive the support they need.



You can read more about the assistance Children of Fallen Patriots provides here:
https://www.fallenpatriots.org/who-we-are 

Other News and Related Articles
"How Much Does College Cost?"
https://www.collegedata.com/resources/pay-your-way/whats-the-price-tag-for-a-college-education 

"Rylee McCollum’s daughter to receive scholarship from Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation"
https://www.wyomingnewsnow.tv/2021/10/07/rylee-mccollums-daughter-receive-scholarship-children-fallen-patriots-foundation/

"On Veterans Day, Prioritize Supporting and Hiring Gold Star Children"  
https://chiefexecutive.net/on-veterans-day-prioritize-supporting-and-hiring-gold-star-children/

"Who We Serve"
https://www.fallenpatriots.org/videos



Children of Fallen Patriots is a registered 501(c)3 charitable organization that provides counseling and education scholarships to the children of veterans who have died in service of their country.

Organizer

Robert Coutu
Organizer
Denton, TX
Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation
 
Registered nonprofit
Donations are typically 100% tax deductible in the US.

Your easy, powerful, and trusted home for help

  • Easy

    Donate quickly and easily.

  • Powerful

    Send help right to the people and causes you care about.

  • Trusted

    Your donation is protected by the  GoFundMe Giving Guarantee.