FOUNDATION FOR EXCEPTIONAL WARRIORS (THE FEW) Mission: The FEW provides adventures to unite, reward and inspire those that have served together to heal together. They provide tailored, world-class outdoor adventures over a period of two to three days, promoting a deeper bond and peer-to-peer interaction. Their vision is to reconnect Warriors with themselves, their families and their communities. The FEW believes there is nothing more healing than camaraderie between fellow war heroes, whether by the fire, in a boat, on a hunt or any one of their outdoor adventures. Learn more at ExceptionalWarriors.org. Our Partnership: Team Wendy supports the FEW by providing personal protection equipment for their staff’s use, including EXFIL® helmets to help keep them safe while sky diving, whitewater rafting and on other adventures.
THE HONOR FOUNDATION Mission: The Honor Foundation, a national non-profit, offers a rare proposition to veterans: lifelong one-on-one assistance. Applicants are thoroughly vetted, selected and assessed. Through three distinct phases, veterans learn to transpose their military-specific skillset to the civilian world while researching potential landing spots and building a network of contacts in the process. The organization, founded in 2014, has totaled more than 500 graduates. Our Partnership: Team Wendy donated 20% of all online sales to the Honor Foundation on Dec. 3, 2019. The donation was made in the spirit of Giving Tuesday, a yearly event held the Tuesday after Thanksgiving that raises hundreds of millions of dollars for charities nationwide. In 2018 more than $380 million was raised for charitable causes.
IFB SOLUTIONS Mission: Founded more than 80 years ago, IFB Solutions provides opportunities for people who are blind or visually impaired in need of training, employment and services. Through programs that serve kids, provide transportation, deliver low-vision resources and more, they identify and fulfil community needs. IFB Solutions is a 501-C3 not-for-profit organization. Revenues from the sale of products and services, as well as sponsorships, grants and donations from the community, fund life-changing training programs and services for adults and children who are blind or visually impaired. Learn more at IFBSolutions.org. Our Partnership: In addition to sponsoring IFB Solutions’ annual fundraising events, Team Wendy works closely with them through a government contract. Under this contract, IFB employees prepare Team Wendy’s Zorbium™ Action Pad (ZAP™) adjustable helmet liner system for distribution to units in the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy.
LUKE'S WINGS Mission: Luke’s Wings is an organization dedicated to the support of service members who have been wounded in battle. Recognizing the immediate need for families to be with their loved ones at such a difficult time, Luke’s Wings provides families with the means to visit during the service member’s hospitalization and rehabilitation. By purchasing travel agency services and travel tickets for loved ones, Luke’s Wings provides an immediate and invaluable service to the families of our men and women at arms while also helping to encourage and motivate the service member’s recovery. Learn more at LukesWings.org.
Our Partnership: Each year, Team Wendy sponsors Luke’s Wings No Soldier Spends Christmas Alone campaign. Our sponsorship helps purchase flights that reunite wounded warrior families for the holidays.
MEMORIAL 3-GUN FOUNDATION Mission: The Memorial 3-Gun Foundation holds competitive shooting events in order to remember, honor and memorialize fallen Special Operations soldiers. Their goal is to let the families of the fallen know they are not alone during and after this tragic time. Stories are shared at the shooting competitions in remembrance of the fallen and the lives they led, enabling every person who competes to walk away with a sense of who these fallen heroes were. All proceeds go directly to the families of the fallen soldiers they honor at the event. The Memorial 3-Gun Foundation will never forget, and will not let anyone else forget, the ultimate sacrifice brave men and women made for this country. Learn more at memorial3gun.com. Our Partnership: The Memorial 3-Gun Foundation relies entirely on donations and fundraising to finance their programs. Team Wendy supports Memorial 3-Gun by donating funds and product to help them host events and offer support to the grieving families.
MISSION 22 Mission: Mission 22 is a non-profit that raises awareness of the tragedy of veteran suicide as well as supports/funds programs to drive down the veteran suicide rate. Every day, more than 20 veterans are lost to suicide. Mission 22 wants to bring that number to zero. Mission 22 initiatives include treatment programs for veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury and other issues they are facing that may contribute to depression or suicidal thoughts and tendencies. It also organizes events and builds memorials to create social impact and build awareness. Additionally, Mission 22 has an Ambassador volunteer program for people to get involved and educate the public on veteran issues, help get veterans into Mission 22 treatment programs and develop additional support resources in their respective communities. Learn more at Mission22.com. Our Partnership: There is no national monument for those who have fallen in the war against veteran suicide, but with the support of sponsors and donors, Mission 22 was able to build one. The War at Home memorial is a travelling monument that is currently in Broken Arrow (a suburb of Tulsa), Oklahoma, where it is waiting to be installed in 2021. There is hope that someday there will be a permanent national monument for these fallen soldiers. Team Wendy has supported Mission 22 on this endeavor as well as with fundraising and direct contributions towards treating our wounded warriors.
NATIONAL INDUSTRIES FOR THE BLIND Mission: Since 1938, National Industries for the Blind (NIB) has focused on enhancing the opportunities for economic and personal independence of people who are blind, primarily through creating, sustaining and improving employment. NIB and its network of associated nonprofit agencies are the nation's largest employer of people who are blind. Today, NIB focuses not only on creating jobs, but on developing careers through challenging, knowledge-based positions in high-energy, quality work environments. NIB works with a nationwide network of associated nonprofit agencies offering a wide range of career opportunities, supporting them in business development, program management, and marketing and sales. Learn more at NIB.org. Our Partnership: In addition to sponsoring NIB’s annual Training Conference and Expo, Team Wendy works with two of their largest agencies, IFB Solutions and VisionCorps, to help create jobs for the blind and visually impaired. Through a contract with the government, these agencies and their employees play a crucial role in the distribution of Team Wendy’s Zorbium™ Action Pad (ZAP™) adjustable helmet liner system to units in the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy.
RANGER ROAD Mission: Ranger Road brings veterans together through extraordinary experiences by empowering the transition to the next chapter of their lives. They are a nonprofit charity providing veterans the necessary tools to be successful during the crucial transition from military to civilian life. Ranger Road believes the bond and camaraderie created in the military is truly special and an experience only those who have served are able to grasp an understanding of. The activities and programs they've developed have been proven to help veterans handle stress, lower rates of anxiety and depression, and improve the overall wellness of veterans. Learn more at RangerRoad.org. Our Partnership: Team Wendy supports Ranger Road by donating EXFIL® helmets for raffle in their fundraising efforts.
TROOPS DIRECT Mission: Troops Direct expedites the acquisition of requested gear and equipment to service members that cannot obtain critical items via the Department of Defense supply system in the timeframe needed. Contrary to other organizations that send traditional care packages, Troops Direct is request-based only and specializes in medical, tactical and operational support. They do this at zero charge to the requesting unit through the donations of patriotic Americans. No red tape, bureaucracies or chains of command. Just a commitment to those who bravely serve our nation. Learn more at TroopsDirect.org.
Our Partnership: “Team Wendy has been a loyal supporter of Troops Direct from day one, and they share in our unyielding commitment to provide the very best equipment to our servicemembers. Through the support of our generous donors, Team Wendy and Troops Direct have provided hundreds of unmatched quality helmets to those protecting our freedoms. Together, driven by our commitment, purchase orders are fulfilled and shipped anywhere on the globe within 72 hours. Team Wendy ballistic helmets comfort, fit and ballistic protections are one of the most requested items from those deployed. Troops Direct is eternally grateful for the ironclad partnership we have forged with Team Wendy.” – Jacob B. Jones, Director of Donor Development & Strategic Engagement, Troops Direct
VELOSANO Mission: VeloSano, Latin for “swift cure," is a year-round, community-driven fundraising initiative with the mission to advance lifesaving cancer research at Cleveland Clinic. The flagship event is “Bike to Cure” weekend, a cycling event that takes place each July for which riders commit to raising a pre-determined dollar amount to donate toward the fight against cancer. One hundred percent of the dollars raised through VeloSano directly supports the cause, and in just four years, over $12.5 million is already hard at work in the fight against cancer. Learn more at VelaSano.org. Our Partnership: Each year since 2014, Team Wendy has put together a group of riders to help raise funds for this important cause. Some riding 50 miles and others 100 miles, each rider sets a goal to raise a specific amount in donations. In 2019, our team of riders exceeded its fundraising goal, bringing Team Wendy’s five-year participation total to nearly $100,000 in donations. Read more about the 2019 ride on our blog.
VESTED INTEREST IN K9s, INC. (VIK9s) Mission: VIK9s is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States. Since its inception, VIK9s has provided more than 2,900 protective vests to K9s in all 50 states through private and corporate donations. Learn more at VIK9s.org. Our Partnership: In 2018, Team Wendy donated its first K9 vest to VIK9s, which was given to an active LE dog in Arkansas named Frenkie. Read more about this donation on our blog. Our 2019 donation helped kit out Merlin, a 2-year-old Dutch Shepherd assigned to Officer Joey Gonzalez of the Grand Junction (CO) Police Department. Learn more about Merlin.
VETERANS MOVING FORWARD Mission: Veterans Moving Forward provides service dogs and canine therapy services to veterans with physical and/or mental health challenges, at no cost to the veteran. Their veteran and service dog matching program is based on personality and temperament, the veteran’s specific needs and the dog’s skills. VMF’s vision is to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our nation’s veterans and increase their safety and independence within their homes and communities. Learn more at VetsFwd.org.
Our Partnership: Veterans Moving Forward relies entirely on donations, grants and fund raising to finance their operations and programs. Team Wendy supports VMF by donating funds to help defray those costs.
VISIONCORPS Mission: VisionCorps was founded in 1926 and is one of the oldest, and largest, nonprofit organizations in Pennsylvania. Its goal is to empower people who are blind or vision impaired to attain independence. VisionCorps focuses on employing people who are blind in manufacturing, food processing and administrative services. The organization currently employs more than 150 individuals, 75 percent of whom are blind or vision impaired. VisionCorps also relies on financial support from individuals and businesses in order to provide grants and scholarships to regional applicants. Learn more at VisionCorps.net. Our Partnership: In addition to donating to VisionCorps’ foundation and sponsoring annual fundraising events, Team Wendy partners with them through a government contract. Under this contract, VisionCorps employees assemble and package Team Wendy’s Zorbium™ Action Pad (ZAP™) adjustable helmet liner system for distribution to units in the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy.