2011 Beneficiaries

First Salute Inc.

The mission of Final Salute Inc. is to provide homeless female Veterans with safe and suitable housing. It is estimated that there are currently 13,000 homeless female Veterans in the United States. Even more alarming is that over half of these women are single mothers. For the sacrifices they and their families have made, this is an unacceptable state for any of them to be in.

Of the 500 transitional housing programs for male veterans in the United States, a little over half can accept women. Some female Veterans who have experienced Military Sexual Trauma (MST) may not be comfortable staying in co-ed facilities. There are affordable housing programs and temporary housing units available to all Veterans, but the waiting lists are long and some female Veterans have minor children for which they are responsible; most facilities cannot accommodate children.

Final Salute Inc. is taking a three-pronged approach to addressing the issues associated with the homelessness of female Veterans: Awareness. Assistance. Aspiration.

Awareness: Bringing attention to the American people that homelessness among female Veterans is on the rise and their support needs are immediate.

Assistance: Providing housing/supportive services to homeless female Veterans and aiding in the prevention of homelessness for at-risk female Veterans.

Aspiration: Instilling in homeless female Veterans that their situations are temporary and their goals are still achievable.

Final Salute Inc. was founded by a female Veteran and Cancer Survivor, CPT Jas Boothe. In 2005 Jas lost everything she owned to Hurricane Katrina, 2 months before she was to deply to Iraq. A month later, she was diagnosed with Stage 2 of an aggressive head, neck and throat cancer. Jas states "Final Salute Inc's is providing the same second chance to female Veterans, that God provided me through cancer survival." You can learn more about Final Salute Inc. by visiting their site at www.finalsaluteinc.org or by calling 703-224-8845.

Tigerlily Foundation

Tigerlily's mission is to educate, empower, advocate for and provide hands-on support to young women between the ages of 15-40 – before, during and after breast cancer. Our goals are as follows:

1. to educate young women about breast health and encourage healthy lifestyle;
2. to end isolation among survivors;
3. to improve quality of life;
4. to provide practical hands-on services and support during and after treatment;
5. to create self-advocates; and
6. to decrease disparities regardless of race, sexual orientation, religion or culture.

Tigerlily Foundation's programs provide education, peer support, buddy bags, meals, financial assistance and empowerment to young women. Tigerlily Foundation was founded by Maimah Karmo, after she was diagnosed with breast cancer at 32 years old. To learn more about the organization, visit www.tigerlilyfoundation.org, call 888-580-6253 or email info@tigerlilyfoundation.org.