Jolie-Pitt Foundation Gives Grant to Armed Services YMCA
August 1st, 2008, All Angelina Jolie, Angelina & Brad News, Angelina humanitarian,
The Jolie-Pitt foundation recently gave a $114,000 grant for the Armed Services YMCA of Lawton Fort Sill to fund the Operation Hero, a program for military kids age six to 12, who are experiencing difficulties in school due to frequent deployments of their families.
Operation Hero is a semester-long program that would provide after-school tutoring and mentoring assistance in a small group with certified teachers. The program accepts referrals from teachers, parents or school officials. Many children have experienced their father or mother being gone due to multiple deployments during the majority of these early, formative years.
Executive Director of ASYMCA Bill Vaughan says:
“Operation Hero facilitates a positive environment, encourages responsible behavior, and gets children back on track in school. We are delighted to bring this program to the children of Soldiers living in our community.
“The contribution from the Jolie-Pitt Foundation is a major effort to serve the children of our brave members of the United States Armed Services who are engaged in the current conflict. The new funds will allow our local Armed Services YMCA to provide educational support and counseling to military children who need and deserve it. Often, these young children are coping with long and frequent deployments, injury and even death of a parent serving in the US military.
“Operation Hero is specially designed for military children and the unique challenges they face having a parent overseas in harm’s way. It provides them with a support network of teachers and friends who are able to help them deal with anxiety, distractions from their academic work and high emotions that come with separation from a parent. The Armed Services YMCA is extremely proud to work with the Jolie-Pitt Foundation to enable military children and their families to succeed. This donation will go a long way towards helping children affected by the stark realities of war.
The grant is part of a $1 million grant announced by the Jolie-Pitt Foundation to support children affected by the war. The donation is divided equally so that children in Iraq and the United States will benefit.
“The agency’s board of trustees identified this program during annual strategic planning. At that time the only thing holding the program launch was funding,” states Kim Thomas, board president. “Now because of this significant grant, we can begin the program in our community and carry it for a minimum of three years.”
Brad Pitt, born in Shawnee, continues to maintain ties to his home state. Lawton Fort Sill is the only community in Oklahoma to receive this three year grant. The Armed Services YMCA Lawton Fort Sill is Oklahoma’s leading nonprofit organization supporting junior enlisted personnel and their families. Contributions are encouraged and can be mailed or delivered to the Armed Services YMCA, 201 SW 4th Street, Lawton, OK 73501
