Bob Hope Legacy Grant to Operation Homefront.
Provides Critical Assistance for Greater Los Angeles, New York and Cleveland Military Families.
Summer can be an especially hard time for military families as they face expensive utility bills or expensive unexpected home repairs. Many families may be forced to make hard choices about what bills to pay, affecting their family’s financial well-being – and Bob Hope Legacy, part of the Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation, and Operation Homefront are here to help.
Operation Homefront and Bob Hope Legacy have partnered to help provide critical financial assistance to military families, so they don’t have to make those tough decisions. Bob Hope Legacy has generously awarded Operation Homefront a three-year $750,000 grant to support military families in Los Angeles, California; New York, New York; and Cleveland, Ohio — all cities where Bob and Dolores Hope had personal ties.
Funding supports military families in those cities through Operation Homefront’s Critical Assistance Program (CAP), the core of Operation Homefront’s mission serving America’s military families. CAP helps military families across the nation address critical financial shortfalls when they struggle to make ends meet and are forced to make difficult trade-offs. Critical financial needs can include assistance with rent, utilities, mortgage, car repairs, food assistance as well as home repairs and other critical needs.
“Those who are serving and have served us in our nation’s time of need have earned the peace of mind that comes with knowing their family won’t have to weather a financial crisis alone,” said retired Brig Gen John Pray, President and CEO of Operation Homefront. “All at Operation Homefront are grateful for all our military families do for all of us and we come to work seeking to serve them in their time of need. The Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation has a longstanding commitment to the military families and we are absolutely thrilled they will partner with us to help them thrive in the communities they have worked so hard to protect.”
“Helping military families through financial challenges is just the right thing to do,” said Miranda Hope, Vice President of the Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation Board of Directors. “My grandparents instilled in me a love for our nation and for the men and women who fought to defend it. We are honored to partner with Operation Homefront and their noble mission.”
Although Bob Hope was best known as a global entertainer on stage, radio, movies and television, he had an unwavering commitment to America’s servicemen and women. He is also remembered for his deep connections and community involvement in all three cities.
“Southern California is where Bob Hope launched his meteoric rise to box-office sensation, launched his iconic 60-year relationship with NBC as well as his signature achievement as a morale-boosting performer for members of the U.S. armed forces starting during World War II,” Operation Homefront Senior Director Jack Chirrick said. “Operation Homefront’s partnership with Bob Hope Legacy not only will accomplish its mission to bring ‘Hope to those in need,” but it will help Operation Homefront to ensure that thousands of military families thrive, not simply struggle to get by, in the communities they’ve worked so hard to protect in California, in the Southwestern U.S., and across our great nation.”
“The story of Bob and Dolores Hope started in New York City, and we are honored that Bob Hope Legacy chose to support the many veterans and military families who live in this region,” Operation Homefront Senior Director Pete Stinson said. “In New York, Pennsylvania, throughout to the Northeast and across the nation, Operation Homefront will continue proudly serving America’s military families thanks to the generosity of Bob Hope Legacy.”
“Bob Hope started his illustrious career in Cleveland as an entrant in amateur shows and as a part of a professional dancing duo that earned an astronomical $8 a night,” Operation Homefront Senior Director Darcy Clardy said. “Everything this man became as a humanitarian, as a great American, as friend to the U.S. military, and as one of the world’s greatest entertainers started in the Midwest. It is fitting that Operation Homefront will use the generous donation from Bob Hope Legacy to build strong, stable and secure military families in Cleveland, across the Midwest, and nationwide.”
The Bob Hope Legacy grant has already enabled Operation Homefront to approve 55 requests for critical assistance in greater Los Angeles and two other regions. Military families were helped with requests for urgent issues including home repairs, auto repairs, food assistance, moving expenses, utility payments, travel & transportation, and critical baby items.
Founded shortly after 9/11, Operation Homefront serves military and veteran families with a variety of assistance programs. Since 2011, Operation Homefront has helped almost 15,000 military families across the country with nearly 37,000 unique requests for assistance. Families receiving financial assistance are provided financial education and counseling to help transform their situations from crisis to self-sustainability.
Any active duty, deployed, veteran, or wounded, ill or injured service member who meets the program’s criteria may be eligible for assistance from Operation Homefront’s Critical Assistance Program. To find more information or to apply, visit OperationHomefront.org.
ABOUT BOB & DOLORES HOPE FOUNDATION:
The Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation, including Bob Hope Legacy, was established to provide for and to assure the continuation of the philanthropic ideals of Bob & Dolores Hope by supporting organizations that feed, clothe and shelter America’s underprivileged. We also honor and preserve the “Spirit of Bob Hope” and his Legacy as an entertainer, comedian, patriot, humanitarian and supporter of U.S. military service members. Bob Hope took his talents to the center of a crisis and used them to heal by showing his compassion, empathy, uplifting spirit and respect for country. In order to reach and assure continuation of these goals, Bob & Dolores Hope provided direction and leadership of the Foundation during their lifetime. Today, it is managed and governed by people who share their attitudes, beliefs, and ideals as to the purposes and goals of partnering with other organizations to create community philanthropy. Learn more at BobHope.org
ABOUT OPERATION HOMEFRONT:
Founded in 2002, Operation Homefront is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families so that they can thrive – not simply struggle to get by – in the communities they have worked so hard to protect. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity oversight groups, 92 percent of Operation Homefront expenditures go directly to programs that support tens of thousands of military families each year. Operation Homefront provides critical financial assistance, transitional and permanent housing and family support services to prevent short-term needs from turning into chronic, long-term struggles. Thanks to the generosity of our donors and the support from thousands of volunteers, Operation Homefront proudly serves America’s military families. For more information, visit OperationHomefront.org