Newman's Own® Awards Announce 2020 Grant Winners

ROCKVILLE, Md., Nov. 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Fisher House Foundation, Military Times, and Newman's Own have awarded grants to six non-profit organizations supporting military servicemembers and their families. Newman's Own^® Awards provide funding toward innovative programs created to improve the quality of life for veterans.

Newman's Own^® Awards began in 1999 and have now awarded more than $2.1 million across 185 non-profit programs.

The grant's name honors the legacy of Paul Newman, founder of Newman's Own, who sought to help make a difference in the lives of others. Paul, a Navy veteran, served in the Pacific during World War II. Later in life, he came up with his own line of salad dressings, pasta sauces, pizzas, salsas and much more and decided that all the profits from Newman's Own products would go to charities. 

"Fisher House Foundation congratulates the 2020 Newman's Own Awards grant recipients, all of which offer important programs to support our military and veteran communities," said Chairman and CEO of Fisher House Foundation Ken Fisher. "Thank you to our partners at Newman's Own and Military Times, along with our distinguished judges, for their dedication to helping non-profits succeed, especially in such trying times."

"Military Times is honored to provide our platform to find and recognize organizations whose mission is to help improve the lives of veterans and their families," said Andrew Tilghman, Military Times executive editor. "As is the case every year, our honorees remind us of the power of community, cooperation, and innovation in addressing the most important issues in the lives of our nation's heroes."

"It is our pleasure to partner with Fisher House Foundation and Military Times for the 21^st year of recognizing innovative organizations that serve our country's heroes and their families," said Miriam Nelson, Acting President and CEO of Newman's Own Foundation. "As a World War II veteran, we know Paul Newman would join us in bestowing a hearty congratulations to each of the Newman's Own Award winners."

After receiving more than 330 entries for the 2020 program, six judges evaluated each entry based on the organization's creativity, innovation and impact to the respective communities. Newman's Own, Fisher House Foundation, and Military Times are proud to announce that the six winning organizations are: Veterans Center for Job Training and Entrepreneurship, GI Go Fund; Warrior Wellness Solutions Program, Warrior Wellness Solutions; VCP National Expansion, Veterans Community Project; Second Chance Cars, Inc. Program, Second Chance Cars, Inc.; New Military Spouse Support Program, Military Spouse Advocacy Network; and 'We Are Invictus' Ambassador Programme, Invictus Games Foundation. (Organization information below.) The leading 2020 Newman's Own Award-winning organization received a $50,000 grant, with the remaining top organizations receiving $30,000. All 2019 and 2020 winners were honored in a live, virtual ceremony, hosted by Military Times, on November 9, 2020. The ceremony link (https://events.militarytimes.com/noa2020/) will be live for public viewing at 12 p.m. on November 11, 2020, Veterans Day. 

GI Go Fund received the highest honor and a $50,000 award. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Newark, New Jersey, the Veterans Center for Job Training and Entrepreneurship offers a job training center and incubator space to hundreds of veterans in the New York and New Jersey region. The center's training is available both in person and online in several major business skills ranging from business writing to cloud computing. The center also offers a veteran incubator where veterans can run their businesses and receive services such as legal aid, website development, marketing materials, conference room space, and business cards.  

"Being recognized by Newman's Own^® Awards along with Fisher House and Military Times is a huge honor for any veterans' organization in this country," said GI Go Fund CEO Jack Fanous. "But for myself and my co-founders Alex Manis and James Fanous, this moment has special meaning, as we were inspired by Fisher House to create GI Go Fund after we lost our childhood friend Lt. Seth Dvorin in to an IED blast in Iraq. We continue to be motivated by the work of Newman's Own, Fisher House, and Military Times every day for all the great work they do in military community as we begin our 15^th year providing innovative services to veterans and military spouses. Our Veterans Center for Job Training and Entrepreneurship has been a powerful resource for veterans during COVID-19, providing veteran small business owners an advanced incubator space to help their companies thrive and job training in hundreds of modern skills to help unemployed veterans find work in this new post-pandemic world. We are grateful to Newman's Own, Fisher House and Military Times for recognizing our efforts, and look forward to achieving great things moving forward into 2021."

About Newman's Own®, Inc.
Newman's Own, Inc., founded by Paul Newman in 1982, offers great tasting, high quality food and beverage products for people and pets. Products include salad dressings, pasta sauces, frozen pizza, salsa, refrigerated drinks, cookies, and snacks as well as dog food and pet treats. Newman's Own Foundation continues Paul Newman's commitment to use all royalties and profits that it receives from the sale of its food products for charitable purposes. Over $560 million has been given to thousands of charities since 1982. For more information, visit NewmansOwn.com.

About Military Times
The Military Times digital platforms and print products are the trusted source for independent news and information for service members and their families. The military community relies on the Army Times, Marine Corps Times, Navy Times, and Air Force Times for reporting on everything important to their lives, including: pay, benefits, finance, education, health care, recreational resources, retirement, promotions, product reviews, and entertainment. Military Times is published by Sightline Media Group. To learn more, visit www.militarytimes.com.

About Fisher House Foundation
Fisher House Foundation is best known for its network of 90 comfort homes where military and veteran families can stay at no cost while a loved one is receiving treatment. These homes are located at major military and VA medical centers nationwide, and in Europe, close to the medical center or hospital they serve. Fisher Houses have up to 21 suites, with private bedrooms and baths. Families share a common kitchen, laundry facilities, a warm dining room, and an inviting living room. Fisher House Foundation ensures that there is never a lodging fee. Since inception, the program has saved military and veteran families an estimated $500 million in out of pocket costs for lodging and transportation. www.fisherhouse.org.

Winning Entries

GI Go Fund 
Veterans Center for Job Training and Entrepreneurship, Newark, NJ 
GI Go Fund was founded in 2006 to assist service members, reservists and guardsmen, veterans, their family members, and veteran caretakers with finding employment, connecting to their benefits, making smart decisions about higher education, and accessing housing. One of the organization's strongest programs is their Veterans Center for Job Training and Entrepreneurship in Newark, New Jersey, which offers a job training center and incubator space to hundreds of veterans in the New York and New Jersey region. The center's training is available both in person and online in several major business skills ranging from business writing to cloud computing. The center also offers a veteran incubator where veterans can run their businesses and receive services such as legal aid, website development, marketing materials, conference room space, and business cards.   

For more information, contact James Fanous ([email protected]) or visit (www.gigo.org).  

Warrior Wellness Solutions 
Warrior Wellness Solutions Program, Durham, NC 
Warrior Wellness Solutions is a Durham, North Carolina based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2009 that provides personalized Functional Medicine Health Coaching, Rehabilitative and Adaptive Exercise, Mindfulness and Mindset Training, and wellness education to wounded, ill and injured warriors, their families, and caregivers. Warrior Wellness Solutions delivers sustainable wellness and lifestyle solutions that contribute to redefining a life of purpose and creates a ripple effect impacting relationships with family, friends, and the community at large.

For more information, contact Elijah Sacra ([email protected]) or visit (www.warriorwellnesssolutions.org). 

Veterans Community Project 
VCP National Expansion, Kansas City, MO 
Veterans Community Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by a group of combat veterans in Kansas City, Missouri who resolved to stand in the gaps of a broken system that left too many of their brothers and sisters behind. By providing critical support services paired with an innovative transitional housing model, VCP has served thousands of at-risk and homeless veterans since 2016. Using the VCP Village and Outreach Center in Kansas City as a blueprint, VCP is now expanding its programs to 8 cities by 2022. VCP's long-term goal: ending veteran homelessness nationwide.  

For more information, contact Kellyn Sloan ([email protected]) or visit (www.veteranscommunityproject.org). 

Second Chance Cars, Inc. 
Second Chance Cars, Inc. Program, Concord, MA  
Second Chance Cars is an innovative nonprofit with a mission to mobilize low-income Massachusetts veterans through affordable car ownership, so they may access living-wage jobs and improve their quality of life. SCC created a unique coalition consisting of car donors, vocational schools who affordably refurbish cars, social service agencies who select candidates for them, a credit counseling agency who screens candidates, and a bank that provides SCC car buyers with a zero-percent, $900, credit-building car loan. While SCC cars cost $900, they are worth, on average, $3000 and provide their recipients with the means to earn, on average, $23,000 of additional annual income, decrease their commute time, improve their credit scores, and increase their ability to access healthcare and grocery stores. No other organization is providing refurbished, affordable, and reliable cars to Massachusetts' 23,000 low-income veterans, and no other like-organization in the country is utilizing affordable vocational school labor to do so. 

For more information, contact Dan Holin ([email protected]) or visit (www.secondchancecars.org).  

Military Spouse Advocacy Network 
New Military Spouse Support Program, San Antonio, TX 
The New Military Spouse Support Program has provided thousands of new military spouses the opportunity to receive peer-to-peer mentorship from the time they become new military spouses through the time they PCS for the first time. All military spouses that transition from the program feel equipped to handle anything that military life throws their way and will forever have a safe community to reach out for additional help if they need it. This program is a resource available inside the Air Force's Basic Military Training which provides peer-to-peer mentorship support to all new military spouses including National Guard & Reserve components. 

For more information, contact Verenice Castillo ([email protected]) or visit (www.militaryspouseadvocacynetwork.org). 

Invictus Games Foundation 
'We Are Invictus' Ambassador Programme, London, UK 
The 'We Are Invictus' Ambassador programme will give wounded warriors an opportunity to inspire, motivate and support their fellow injured servicemen and women through the Invictus Games Foundation's social network – We Are Invictus. The programme will give wounded warriors the tools, assets, and support to be "masters" of their own fate and the opportunity to continue to serve in an ambassadorial role within the international Invictus community. Ambassadors will be helping to share the Invictus spirit and engage wounded, injured, and sick military personnel and their families in sports recovery activities around the world.   

For more information, contact Jenni Anderson ([email protected]) or visit (www.invictusgamesfoundation.org). 

Judges for the 2020 competition were: 

Contact:  Michelle Baldanza, Fisher House Foundation
[email protected]

Contact: Brandon Rook, Newman's Own Foundation,
[email protected] 

Contact: Christine Aquino, Military Times
[email protected]

SOURCE Fisher House Foundation

Related Links

www.fisherhouse.org