America Supports You: Groups Invited to Compete in 'Newman's Own' Awards

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5, 2005 - Volunteer organizations that benefit troops and their families are invited to compete for a share of $75,000 grants as part of the 7th annual "Newman's Own Awards."

"(Judges) are looking for projects that will benefit members of the military and their families with an emphasis on either support to servicemembers who are deployed, and equally important, to the families that are back here in the United States, the families of deployed servicemembers," Jim Weiskopf, Fisher House Foundation vice president for communications, said in an interview today.

The entry chosen as the most outstanding will receive a $10,000 grant to help implement that plan. The judges will allocate the remaining $65,000 to other organizations. The awards are not geared toward large nonprofit organizations, he said, but more toward smaller, community-level groups.

"The whole premise behind the Newman's Own Awards is there are a lot of small- to medium-sized organizations comprised primarily of volunteers," Weiskopf said. He added that instead of seeing people with great ideas going through possibly several fundraising efforts to be able to implement their projects, the group would rather give them the money to get their plans under way.

In announcing the competition on Dec. 2, Weiskopf said the 2006 contest award money has increased $25,000 - from $50,000 to $75,000.

Specific eligibility rules are available on the Fisher House Foundation's Web site, www.FisherHouse.org, or by calling (888) 294-8560. Entries must be received by April 28.

The awards are sponsored by Newman's Own, Fisher House and Military Times Media Group. A World War II veteran, actor Paul Newman donates all profits and royalties from the sales of his Newman's Own food line to charitable and educational purposes. Since 1982, he has given more than $175 million to multiple charities.

Related Site:

Fisher House Foundation [http://www.fisherhouse.org/]

_______________________________________________________
NOTE: View the original version of this web page on DefenseLINK,
the official website of the U.S. Department of Defense, at
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec2005/20051205_3550.html.

====================================================

Visit the Defense Department's Web site "America Supports You" at http://www.americasupportsyou.mil, that spotlights what Americans are doing in support of U.S. military men and women serving at home and abroad.

====================================================
Visit the Defense Department's Web site for the latest news
and information about America's response to the war against terrorism: "Defend America" at http://www.DefendAmerica.mil.

====================================================

Unsubscribe from or Subscribe to this mailing list:
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/subscribe.html
====================================================