Folds of Honor, a foundation that provides academic scholarships to the families of fallen or disabled military service members and first responders, announced Tuesday that it had distributed over 8,400 scholarships valued at more than $39 million for the 2023-24 academic year. Since it started in 2007, Folds has provided over 51,000 scholarships worth about $240 million. A total of 90 percent of all funds raised go directly to scholarships.
This year also marked the organization’s initial first responder class. Folds added the families of first responders to its mission in 2022.
“My wife Jacqy and I started Folds of Honor above our garage in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. We are humbled by the amazing support of so many patriots. Their patriotism has provided over 51,000 lifechanging scholarships,” said Lt Col Dan Rooney, founder and CEO of Folds of Honor. “When we began Folds, we wanted to make a difference, but I never dreamed we’d reach this landmark. This clearly demonstrates that Americans want to support the families of our military and first responders and understand the selfless sacrifices that are made.”
Though the organization experienced a record-breaking year for applications and distributed scholarships, over 3,000 qualified applications went unfilled because of a lack of funding.
“Our goal each year is to provide scholarships to every qualified individual,” Rooney said. “We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished, but our work is far from over.”
Among the students served this academic year, 45 percent are minorities and 57 percent are female. Several of the leading states where students accepted scholarships are Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.
The milestones were reached through a combination of individual donors, corporate partners, numerous golf and other fundraising events, and the unwavering support of the 33 local Folds of Honor chapters across the country.
“The commitment from individuals and corporate partners has never wavered and has only grown stronger,” Rooney added. “Every day our nationwide chapters advance the Folds mission, hold events, and energize their local communities. They are an integral part of our success. We have a dedicated team that is committed to assisting those that need and deserve our help.”
For more information, to join the mission or to donate, visit www.foldsofhonor.org.
About Folds of Honor
Folds of Honor is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that provides educational scholarships to the spouses and children of US military service members and first responders who have fallen or been disabled while serving our country and communities. Our educational scholarships support private school tuition or tutoring in grades K-12, tuition for college, technical or trade school and post-graduate work, including a master’s degree, doctorate, or professional program. Funds for a second bachelor’s degree or trade/technical program certification are also available. Since its inception in 2007, Folds of Honor has awarded over 51,000 scholarships totaling about $240 million in all 50 states. Among the students served, 45 percent are minorities. It is rated a four-star charity by Charity Navigator and Platinum on Candid. It was founded by Lt Col Dan Rooney, the only-ever F-16 fighter pilot (with three combat tours in Iraq) and PGA Professional. He is currently stationed at Headquarters Air Force Recruiting Service Detachment 1, at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. For more information or to donate in support of a Folds of Honor scholarship visit foldsofhonor.org.
