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THE HISTORY OF FREEDOM IS NOT FREE
Why FREEDOM IS NOT FREE was established – a Brief
History
The U.S. led invasion of Iraq, and the military efforts in Afghanistan to uproot
the terrorist infrastructure, made headlines from the start. By 2005, however, casualty
reports were barely making page six news. The American public had settled back into
the mundane routine of daily life. In Iraq and Afghanistan, however, injuries and
fatalities were mounting daily. It was precisely this disparity that motivated David
Dominguez, a San Diego entrepreneur, to establish FREEDOM IS NOT FREE. The name
he chose for the non-profit gave expression to his sentiment that the brave men
and women serving in the military, and their families, were shouldering the price,
and all too often the ultimate price, for the freedoms that we ALL enjoy. David
enlisted long-time friend and Vietnam veteran Carl Frank. Together they began to
frame the FREEDOM IS NOT FREE philosophy, ultimately formulating the mission statement
under which the organization has labored since its establishment:
"Aiding wounded troops, their families
and the families
of the fatally wounded"
The mission epitomizes the founders’ belief that the injury or loss of a hero has
a far broader effect than the specific individual. They wanted to create a safe
environment where supporters would feel confident that their donations were actually
going to help those most in need.
Dominguez and Frank established an intentionally lean organization with special
emphasis on financial checks and balances. They deliberated at great length on the
importance of a transparent model for the allocation of funds to the most worthy
recipients. This requisite led to the establishment of the Purple Heart Board. They
assembled a group of carefully selected, highly committed veteran and active duty
Purple Heart recipients and their relatives to serve as "gatekeepers". The Board,
made up of "those who have been there", determines how the funds raised by FREEDOM
IS NOT FREE are allocated in order to respond to the innumerable number of requests
received.
In a similar vain, the FREEDOM IS NOT FREE Patriot Advisory Board was established.
Its primary role is to serve as an advisory body to management and assist in the
promotion of FREEDOM IS NOT FREE programs and fund raising initiatives. The Patriot
Advisory Board is comprised of a diverse group of individuals with complementary
personal and professional backgrounds, skill-sets and experience. They all share
the passion for the “mission” and the will to make a difference. They offer unbiased
feedback, new ideas and an invaluable knowledge-base that contributes to FREEDOM
IS NOT FREE’s operations.
FREEDOM IS NOT FREE is an a-political, non-partisan 501(C)3 non-profit organization
registered with the Registry of Charitable Trusts. FREEDOM IS NOT FREE’s programs
and grants are made possible solely by the generous support of donors. FREEDOM IS
NOT FREE receives no federal, state or governmental support or funding.
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