Addressing what she hopes to accomplish through the campaign, Senator Dole said, "The Elizabeth Dole Foundation envisions an America where military caregivers are empowered, appreciated and recognized for their service to the nation. Together, we are working towards a future where supporting military caregivers is no longer a cause, but it is part of the culture of our nation." The Senator went on to announce additional national initiatives already underway as part of the campaign and introduce the leaders of the first organizations to make commitments:
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- Colonel Jennifer Pritzker, Army National Guard (Retired), and Founder and Chair of the Pritzker Military Museum & Library, contributed $1 million in support of the campaign. Colonel Pritzker will also serve as the campaign's Vice Chair.
- The United Arab Emirates, represented by His Excellency Yousef Al Otaiba, Ambassador of the UAE to the USA, contributed $1 million to the campaign. USAA, represented by Harriet Dominique, Senior Vice President of Corporate Responsibility and Community Affairs, stepped forward as both a campaign sponsor and the first corporation in America to dedicate a pillar of its corporate responsibility program to military and veteran caregivers.
- The City of San Diego, represented by Mayor Kevin Faulconer, committed to become the first of 54 cities in America to join the campaign as a Hidden Heroes City.
- Comcast NBCUniversal, represented by Brigadier General Carol Eggert, Army (Retired), Vice President of Military and Veteran Affairs, will serve as the official media partner of Hidden Heroes, helping reach caregivers and supportive Americans across all its communications channels. In a special video message, NBC News' TODAY anchor Matt Lauer spoke to the commitment of NBC News to follow the campaign's progress and pledged his personal support as a Hidden Heroes Ambassador.
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The emcee of the event, Richard Lui, MSNBC anchor, announced that Tom Brokaw, NBC News Special Correspondent, would also join the campaign as a Hidden Heroes Ambassador. Brokaw, one of the most respected names in news, spoke about America's legacy of coming together to support its military and veteran communities. His remarks reflected Senator Dole's original call for a national response to the caregiver crisis following the release of a 2014 RAND caregiver study commissioned by her Foundation.
Two of the Foundation's earliest supporters, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald, spoke to the need of a national campaign for military caregivers. The U.S. Congress and Department of Veterans Affairs have both taken steps to ease the challenges of those caring for service members and veterans. Yet, they echoed Senator Dole's call for every American to recognize and support these hidden heroes.
In addition to the commitments announced by campaign leaders, the launch event recognized
the Starr Foundation for its enduring commitment to the Elizabeth Dole Foundation and
The Independence Fund for its contributions to Hidden Heroes. Additional support was provided by Hilton Hotels, American Airlines, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, Booz Allen Hamilton and Hope for the Warriors.
1. San Diego, California
2. Alexandria, Virginia
3. Rapid City, South Dakota
4. Birmingham, Alabama
5. Missoula, Montana
6. Tacoma, Washington
7. Manhattan, Kansas
8. Aberdeen, South Dakota
9. Houston, Texas
10. Sumter, South Carolina
11. Charlotte, North Carolina
12. Scottsdale, Arizona
13. Oakland, California
14. Clarksville, Tennessee
15. Monterey, California
16. Chicago, Illinois
17. Colorado Springs, Colorado
18. Charles Town, West Virginia
19. Bismarck, North Dakota
20. Greenville, Mississippi
21. Garden City, Kansas
22. Virginia Beach, Virginia
23. Springfield, Massachusetts
24. Watertown, New York
25. Reno, Nevada
26. Albuquerque, New Mexico
27. Salisbury, North Carolina
28. Hattiesburg, Mississippi
29. Aurora, Illinois
30. Lansing, Michigan
31. Arlington, Texas
32. Mountain Home, Idaho
33. Waco, Texas
34. Augusta, Georgia
35. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
36. Roanoke, Virginia
37. Chattanooga, Tennessee
38. Elmira, New York
39. Alpena, Michigan
40. Raleigh, North Carolina
41. Nashville, Tennessee
42. Columbia, South Carolina
43. Austin, Texas
44. Quincy, Illinois
45. Madison, Wisconsin
46. Little Rock, Arkansas
47. Los Angeles, California
48. Fayetteville, North Carolina
49. Washington, D.C.
50. New York, New York
51. New Orleans, Louisiana
52. Albany, New York
53. San Francisco, California
54. Yuma, Arizona
About The Elizabeth Dole Foundation
The mission of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation is to strengthen and empower American military caregivers and their families by raising public awareness, driving research, championing policy, and leading collaborations that make a significant impact on their lives. Learn more about the Hidden Heroes campaign at www.HiddenHeroes.org.