Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund is pleased to announce that its 2nd Annual Gala Celebration raised $800,000 to support its mission of giving back to military veterans and immediate family members through education assistance. Over 300 people attended the event on March 24 held at The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa in Houston, Texas. Anthony Anderson, star of ABC’s “Black-ish”, hosted the evening. An overview video underscored the impact of the organization and further punctuated the evening: https://youtu.be/sxYH5LFcwls
The Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund, founded by fellow graduates and classmates of West Point, is inspired by Colonel John “Johnny Mac” McHugh, killed in action in Afghanistan May 18, 2010. An Army aviator, Colonel McHugh served more than 24 years in the U.S. Army, and is remembered as a selfless soldier, leader, family man, and friend.
Lieutenant General James McConville, U.S. Army Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1, was also on hand to highlight current Army initiatives. He spoke of the Army’s, “Soldier for Life Program”, which is under the responsibility of his offices. The Mission Statement of this vital program is “connect Army, governmental, and community efforts to build relations that facilitate successful reintegration of our Soldiers, Retired Soldiers, Veterans, and their Families in order to keep them Army Strong and instill their values, ethos, and leadership within communities.” To learn more about that program, go to https://soldierforlife.army.mil/
“We have a responsibility to give back to veterans and children who have given up so much---their moms and dads---in service to our country. As a country we need to come together and pay that back,” stated Stephen Cannon, co-founder of the Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund and CEO of AMB Group, LLC. “Johnny Mac’s mission is to step into the gap and, through education assistance, help support veterans and children whose parents made the ultimate sacrifice---that’s 16,000 kids whose lives we can impact right now.”
“We’re honoring our veterans and fallen comrades by helping take care of their educational needs and those of the children they’ve left behind. They have served, and now we have an obligation to serve---we must serve. It’s a part of who we are,” commented Tony Guzzi, co-founder of the Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund and President & CEO of EMCOR Group, Inc. “We must take care of our own. Through the mission of Johnny Mac, we can all give back in a small way that has immeasurably large impacts to those who have sacrificed so much for all of us.”
**Lieutenant General McConville did not receive any remuneration for his participation in the event and such participation should not be construed as a direct or implied endorsement by the Department or Defense or the U.S. Army.
About Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund
Established in 2014, the Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to financially assisting veterans and their family members with education expenses. The fund is inspired by Colonel John “Johnny Mac” McHugh, KIA in Kabul, Afghanistan on May 18, 2010. To learn more about or support the mission of the Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund, visit www. JohnnyMac.org