July 07, 2015

You generosity makes an impact

By National Commander Mike Helm
Dispatch

Immune Deficiency Foundation presents the Child Welfare Foundation with its IDF Impact Award.

In 1955, The American Legion’s Child Welfare Foundation made its first three grants, totaling $22,500, to three organizations: the Delinquency Control Institute, the National Association for Retarded Children and the National Society for the Prevention of Blindness. To date, more than $13 million has been awarded to nonprofit youth-oriented organizations, providing them with a means to educate families and communities about the needs of special children across this nation. The success of CWF is a direct result of the combined efforts and generosity of our Legion Family, especially the Sons of The American Legion. And our generosity doesn’t go unnoticed.

Recently, the Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF) of Towson, Md., recognized CWF with its IDF Impact Award for the foundations "many years of commitment and contributions." IDF received its first CWF grant in 1981, which helped the newly formed organization develop the first educational materials in the world for patients with primary immunodeficiency diseases. Since then, additional CWF grants have enabled IDF to produce a video and children’s books.

"The grants we have received from the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation were absolutely essential in the formation of IDF. Without their support, I truly don’t know whether we could have achieved the structure we needed for a rare disease national patient organization," said Marcia Boyle, IDF president and founder.

IDF is just one of the many success stories we hear from CWF grant recipients. The foundation is truly making a positive impact with our nation’s most precious natural resource – our children.

Members of The American Legion Family are the primary contributors to the success and growth of CWF. Your support allows the foundation to continue funding projects that improve the quality of life for our nation’s children.

To donate, visit www.legion.org/donate or learn more at www.legion.org/childwelfare.

 

  • Dispatch