This Independence Day, we have a story about how one animal health company is supporting Folds of Honor and its mission to provide scholarships for the children and spouses of armed services members who have paid the ultimate sacrifice or are disabled after serving our country.
Lt. Col. Dan Rooney is the founder of Folds of Honor and shares the story of how it all started to fill a need. “I think so many people in this country want to do something positive. They want to contribute to say, ‘Thank you,’ to our military but don’t know where to start. And that is the beauty in the vessel that we have created with Folds of Honor and watching so many people climb on board and join us in our mission to leave no family behind on the field of battle. We wrote down the very first day, ‘Honor the sacrifice. Educate the legacy,’ and have been unwavering from that, providing scholarships to these spouses and children who’ve had someone killed or disabled, defending our freedoms. And it’s so humbling to watch this mission touch people’s hearts.”
Folds of Honor is able to provide the gift of education to the families of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in serving our country, thanks in part to company partnerships.
Rooney; “Now we’ve awarded over 35,000 scholarships to spouses and children. It’s $160 million in life-changing education. And we’re just so proud to be able to partner with great companies like Zoetis, to allow people the opportunity to pay it forward, to say, ‘Thank you,’ for your freedoms in a positive way. That’s a force multiplier for these families, giving them the gift of an education, specifically in the agricultural and animal science fields, where we empower these young men and women to go off and serve in this awesome industry.”
Jared Shriver, U.S. Livestock Senior Vice President at Zoetis, shares why the opportunity to support those who have served our country is so important to Zoetis and how the program works. When producers purchase select cattle products, Zoetis will donate a portion of sales to Folds of Honor.
Shriver; “For Zoetis, a big part of our company initiative is really community. When you look at the livestock industry and the ties back to the military and Folds of Honor, it’s a natural fit for us and a place we’re very passionate about. If you look at what they do and the men and women who have served our country and support their families for education, that’s really what excites us. We’ve established an opportunity — as customers buy product, a portion of their proceeds actually gets donated to Folds of Honor.”
This Independence Day is an excellent time to remember those who have served for our freedoms, and Folds of Honor is just one example of how life-changing gifts make a difference for all involved.
Rooney; “The partnership with Folds of Honor and Zoetis is vital. People do not realize over 2 million dependents have had someone killed or disabled in Iraq and Afghanistan over the last 20 years. Nine out of 10 receive no federal education assistance. The giveback from Zoetis is so important. We turn that money around and we take care of these heroic families, giving them the gift of an education. And Folds of Honor comes in as this light of hope and honor to take care of their family, and there’s nothing we can do that’s more noble than taking care of someone’s family, and we’re proud to have that opportunity at Folds of Honor, thanks to great partners like Zoetis.”
You can learn more about the work Zoetis is doing with Folds of Honor at BornOfTheBond.com.