fbpx

OMK Board of Directors Elects New Members

McLean, Virginia – A national nonprofit that supports military children has elected two new members to its Board of Directors, as well as a new Chairman, as the group heads into its 15th year providing grants to military kids of parents recovering from combat-related injuries or kids whose parents are deployed overseas with the National Guard and Reserves.

Based in McLean, VA, but serving children throughout the United States, Our Military Kids was founded in 2004 to help children of deployed Guard and Reservists manage the challenges that arise when a parent is deployed to a war zone. Ten years ago, Our Military Kids expanded its mission to include children of severely injured service members from all branches.

By providing grants for extracurricular activities, Our Military Kids offers children an opportunity to discover new talents, empower themselves and create positive memories during a difficult time in their lives.

The newest members of the board, Rebecca Singhavong and Jonathan “Jack” Harrington, each bring to the board a unique passion for the mission of Our Military Kids, said Barry Miller, the newest Chairman of the Board. Singhavong, an accomplished financial leader with public accounting and corporate experience, comes from the Advisory Board for Our Military Kids. As the Vice President of Finance at the ViON Corporation in Herndon, Virginia, Singhavong has a proven track record of creating and implementing financial controls, transforming business operations to drive growth, and staff development. She hopes to translate her leadership skills at ViON to strategic fundraising in order to increase the number of grants awarded to military kids. “I want to engage our donors and promote awareness about why we should support military kids,” Singhavong said.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree from University of Maryland University College majoring in Accounting and expects to complete her MBA degree in Executive Leadership from James Madison University in December 2018.

Harrington, Counsel at Campolo, Middleton & McCormick, LLP in Ronkonkoma, NY is also a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Reserve. Harrington chairs the International Regulation, Enforcement & Compliance and Cybersecurity practice groups at CMM. In addition to his legal practice, Harrington is a recognized national security expert with broad experience across the government, academic, and consulting sectors.

Harrington knows firsthand the isolation that families of Guard and Reserve experience when a parent is deployed. He hopes to expand the network of support for Our Military Kids.

A resident of Stony Brook, New York, Harrington is a graduate of the University of St. Andrews (Scotland), Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, and Yale Law School, where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Yale Journal of International Law. Harrington is a Fellow with the Truman National Security Project.

Miller, who served on the Board of Director’s for two years before becoming its newest Chairman, said he hopes that Harrington’s military leadership and Singhavong’s fundraising skills will help the nonprofit develop additional community partnerships to benefit military children.

Last year, Our Military Kids received slightly more than $2 million in donations, and 92% of those donations were spent directly on children’s programs. As a result, 3,767 grants were awarded to military kids in 2017, with sports and arts activities the most popular choices.

In the most recent survey of families who received grants for activities, almost all respondents said the grants improved the entire family’s well-being, as well as decreased their child’s stress and anxiety. For more information, visit www.ourmilitarykids.org

# # #

McLean, Virginia – One of the country’s fastest growing restaurant franchisees, KBP Foods, was honored last week by Our Military Kids for its outstanding support of military children. Since 2013, KBP Foods has raised almost $1 million for the nonprofit Our Military Kids, which supports the children of combat-injured soldiers as well as children of deployed Guard and Reserve personnel. As a result, thousands of military children have participated in activities like dancing, soccer and horseback riding while their parents were serving overseas or receiving treatment for combat-related injuries.

“KBP Foods has provided a tremendous level of assistance to military kids and families and we are grateful for their leadership,” said Barry Miller, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Our Military Kids. “From cashiers, to store managers, to the executive team, KBP Foods has made an extraordinary effort to honor the families who serve our nation.”

Our Military Kids was founded in 2004 to cover fees for extracurricular activities so that military kids can discover new talents and pursue their interests while their parents are deployed or recovering. Since its founding, Our Military Kids has been able to award more than 60,000 grants totaling $25 million because of the generosity of its donors.

Miller presented KBP Foods with the Frederick C. Smith Award during the nonprofit’s annual celebration of military children last week. The award, given to a person or company that works to improve the lives of military families, is named in honor of Frederick C. Smith, a founding member of Our Military Kids. Smith advocated for military families until he passed away from cancer in 2011. His devotion to military families helped pave the way for the success of Our Military Kids, and the award honors others who follow in his footsteps.

KBP Foods is the largest KFC franchise in the U.S. and has raised money for Our Military Kids twice a year since 2013, through the sale of $1 coupon books (containing $40 in savings). Every dollar collected from the coupon book sales at 180 KFC stores in Arkansas, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Maryland, New York City and Oklahoma, has been donated to Our Military Kids. The 2018 spring sales resulted in a $141,000 donation to Our Military Kids, bringing the total donations to just under $1 million.

From Killeen, Texas to Norfolk, Virginia, employees at KBP Foods-owned KFC stores have made it their mission to support Our Military Kids. Two years ago, Deborah Alexander, KFC General Manager in Newport News, Virginia, sold more than 12,000 books to benefit the grant program.

“Our Military Kids is an incredible organization that makes a meaningful difference in the communities it serves,” said Matt Hansen, Chief Operating Officer at KBP Foods. “It is our privilege to support Our Military Kids in their mission to help children of deployed and severely injured Service Members and Veterans.”

About KBP Foods KBP Foods, headquartered in Overland Park, Kan., has been named one of the 10 Fastest-Growing Restaurant Chains and one of the Top 100 Fastest-Growing Businesses in North America. Currently, KBP Foods operates 600 KFC and Taco Bell restaurants across 23 states.

# # #