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Organizational Support
The corporation executes its Financial Assistance and Scholarship programs based on the earned income received from the previous year's investments. The budget specifies the amount available to be expended on individuals involved in each program. As the year progresses, the corporation's financial status is constantly reviewed. Priority of grants goes to individuals followed by other 501(c)(3) organizations supporting MFST's
eligibility group. If budgeted funds remain available, the Board allocates portions to the reserve for emergencies and capital expenditures as well as other agencies supporting the same eligibility group as the MFST. In this manner, the Trustees have previously designated, or considered designating, funds to the following organizations and current contributions.
Operation Helping Hand
Operation
Helping Hand is an initiative of the Tampa Chapter of the Military
Officers Association of America (MOAA). This project has been organized
to help the families of the wounded and injured during their stay
in the Tampa Bay area.
Since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation
Enduring Freedom, the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital has had
a marked increase in the number of the wounded and injured active
duty members referred for treatment. The VA Spinal Cord Injury and
Rehabilitation Units have treated many military service members
who have been severely injured in combat operations.
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Obviously, the family members of the wounded want to be there
with loved ones during this critical time of treatment. The average
hospital stay is 45 days. Many of the families visit Tampa from
all over the country and must provide for themselves while staying
in Tampa. Operation Helping Hand provides funds and in-kind support
from the entire community for this purpose.
The Tampa Chapter of the Military Officers Association of
America, which created Operation helping Hand, received the Newman's
Own Award and a $10,000 grant from the Paul Newman Foundation during
a Pentagon ceremony in June 2005. Support for these awards also
comes from the Fisher House Foundation in Bethesda, MD., and the
Military Times Media Group in Springfield, VA. The awards recognize
"ingenuity and innovation for volunteer organizations working
to improve military quality of life." Operation Helping Hand
was selected out of 176 organizations applying for this recognition.
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Petty Officer Third Class Pete
Herrick, USA (Seabees) and his wife Diana, Spinal Cord Clinic, James
A. Valey VA Hospital, Tampa, Florida
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Armed FORCES RETIREMENT HOME
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The Armed Forces Retirement Home provides a living
facility for retired officer and enlisted personnel of the armed services.
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LifePath Hospice of Hillsborough County
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Lifepath Hospice of Hillsborough County,
Florida, recently built a new facility for singles on the Freedom
Plaza Campus in Sun City Center, Florida. There are many retired
military personnel and federal employees in this area who will have
this facility at their disposal should the need arise.
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MacDill Education Council Fund
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The MacDill Education Council Fund was established
under the auspicis of the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, Florida
in 1999. Its' purpose is to provide funding for books and tuition
for military personnel from all branches of the uniformed services
at MacDill Air Force Base.
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Operation Warm Heart, MacDill AFB
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This program provides financial
assistance to service personnel at MacDill Air Force Base in the form
of commissary vouchers each Christmas, as well as emergency funding
throughout the year. The MFST conducts a special solicitation of its
contributors for this program each Christmas.
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MOWW Youth Leadership Conference
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The Military Order of the World
Wars (MOWW) holds an annual Youth Leadership Conference. The MFST supports this program as funds are
available. Patriotic education of our youth is of primary concern to the
Trustees.
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Army Emergency Relief Agency & Navy Marine Corps Relief Society
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As a result of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attack on the Pentagon, a special solicitation resulted in several thousand dollars being sent to the Army Emergency Relief Agency and the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society for the victims of this tragedy.
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Quantum Leap Farms, Inc., Odessa, Florida |
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This organization provides recreational
therapeutic services to disabled veterans in the Hillsborough County
area. Its services and facilities are used by the DAV and the James
A Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa to assist veterans in the healing
process.
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The Southeastern Guide Dogs, Inc., Palmetto, Florida |
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The Southeastern Guide Dogs, Inc.,
Palmetto, Florida provides guide dogs and training of newly formed teams
(a veteran and his/her dog) under its PAWS FOR PATRIOTS Program. The
corporation began providing $5,000 a year in 2010 so that one veteran
might receive this training each year. Hopefully, additional funds will
be available to assist more individuals in the future.
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