For nearly 29 years, the Special Operations Warrior Foundation has provided full college scholarship grants, not loans, along with financial aid and educational counseling to surviving children of Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps special operations personnel who were killed in an operational mission or training accident. The SOWF also provides much-needed immediate financial assistance to severely wounded special operations personnel so their loved ones can be bedside when they are needed most.

The SOWF currently has more than 750 children in their program including 100 students enrolled in colleges and universities across the country, providing funding for tuition, books, fees, computer, room and board. More than $700,000 has been provided by the SOWF to severely wounded special operations personnel.

For the third year in a row, the Special Operations Warrior Foundation has been awarded a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, the nation's leading charity watchdog group. It's Charity Navigator's highest rating for financial efficiency. The Special Operations is just one of four veterans services and advocacy charities that have earned at least two consecutive four-star rating. 

Operation Helping Hand, an initiative of the Tampa Chapter of Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), has been organized to help the families of the wounded and injured during their stay in Tampa Bay.  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 wounded and injured active duty members referred for treatment.  Their Spinal Cord Injury and Comprehensive Rehabilitation Units have treated some of the most severely injured service members who have been in combat in these operations. As you can imagine, the family members of the wounded want to be with their loved ones during this critical time of treatment.  The average stay for the injured is 45 days.  Many of the families travel from all over the country and must provide for themselves while staying in the Tampa Bay area.  Assistance from the public and business community is definitely needed to help these families.  Following is a short list of items that are needed:  Rental or leased cars, Bus or taxi fare coupons, Cash or Checks needed for daily subsistence, Cell phones or phone cards, Amusement park, movie, dinner tickets, Restaurant or food market gift certificates, Any comfort or recreation items that will make their stay here in Tampa more enjoyable, or checks for the purchase of needed items.