|
|
The program is open to sons and daughters of active duty, reserve/guard, or retired military commissary customers.
Recipients must be enrolled or planning to enroll full-time in a four-year undergraduate college or university, accredited in the U. S. They must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 basis.
The Fisher House Foundation, Inc., an IRS recognized 501(c)(3) public charity, administers the program for the Defense Commissary Agency. Commissary business partners donate to Fisher House Foundation, Inc. which treats each contribution as a "restricted donation." Fisher House Foundation, in turn, contracts with "ScholarshipManagers," a professional scholarship management firm to evaluate the applications and select the best qualified as recipients.
Every dollar received is given out as a scholarship grant. Fisher House Foundation does not charge for its services, to include the costs of administration and the cost of the scholarship management contract.
Commissary business partners receive an acknowledgement for their donation from the Fisher House Foundation, with a copy of the acknowledgement sent to the Sales Directorate of the Defense Commissary Agency. Business partners are invited to participate in ceremonies at individual commissaries. The matching of business partners to commissaries is done on a random basis by Fisher House Foundation.
Accrued interest on donations held in the scholarship escrow account is also included in the scholarship grants.
Commissary business partners are recognized by the Defense Commissary Agency Director at an annual breakfast or luncheon event. Business partners that donate to the program are encouraged to use the "Proud Supporter" logo, shown above, in any advertising directed to members of the military and their families.Every commissary displays a large poster that acknowledges the names of the sponsors to the annual scholarship program, and the names are also listed on the scholarship Web site, www.militaryscholar.org.
Business partner donors are recognized by level, as follows:
Five Star - More than $200,000; Four Star - $50,000 -$199,999; Three Star - $25,000 -$49,999; Two Star - $10,000 -$24,999 and One Star - $1,500 -$9,999.
For more information, contact Edna Hoogewind at DeCA (804/734-8410) or Jim Weiskopf at Fisher House Foundation (888/294-8560), or go to www.militaryscholar.org.
