Who We Are

Our Purpose

SEAL Family Legacy is comprised of a team of individuals who love our country and have a strong appreciation and respect for our military.  Our organization and the volunteers who serve it are forever grateful to the men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.  Serving Gold Star families, it is of the utmost importance to us that we ensure the memory of the military members who gave their lives protecting our great nation are honored and not forgotten.  We believe the children left behind in these tragedies deserve to know that their parent died a hero for our country.  It is our hope that in participating in SEAL Family Legacy events, you’ll personally get to know more about the KIA service men/women, the families they left behind, and the sacrifices they made –  it is truly an experience that will stay with you for a lifetime.

What Drives Us

Our Mission

SEAL Family Legacy is a 100% volunteer non profit organization, comprised of both veterans and civilians that:

  1. raises awareness for service men/women with children who were killed in service,
  2. supports the immediate family/children they left behind with a financial donation, and
  3. supports the children left behind by instilling the message that they have their own legacy; their life must go on and the loss of their parent does not define who they are or who they can become.

SEAL Family Legacy accomplishes its mission primarily through three programs:

  1. Family Endowment Program: Each year, a minimum of two Gold Star families, including one SEAL family, is selected for a $20,000 endowment. The child(ren) selected and their families are invited to the Legacy Gala to be honored with all travel expenses covered by SEAL Family Legacy.
  2. Birthday Card Program: Each child in the Family Endowment Program also receives a birthday card along with a financial donation on their birthday each year until their 18th birthday. They will also receive $500 upon graduating high school.
  3. Legacy Buddies Program: Any Gold Star Family can apply for a grant of up to $1,000 per year to cover expenses for any activity or experience that enriches a Gold Star Child’s life. These grants are open to any Gold Star Child aged 25 and under, nationwide.

SEAL Family Legacy raises funds to support this mission through a variety of methods, with the primary fundraiser being the Legacy Gala held every year the second weekend in July. The Family Endowment recipients for that year are honored and live and silent auctions are held. The Legacy Gala also features a keynote speaker with a US Armed Forces background. 

No monies are paid to any SEAL Family Legacy organizational members – EVER.

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PROGRAMS

GOLD STAR FAMILY ENDOWMENT PROGRAM

SEAL Family Legacy’s mission is to serve and support Gold Star Families with children. The Gold Star Family Endowment Program does this by providing $20,000 to at least two qualifying Gold Star Families with children 18 and under each year. The program is meant to provide financial assistance towards raising and providing for Gold Star Children. At least one Gold Star Family of a fallen Navy SEAL is selected, as well as one Gold Star Family of a fallen servicemember of any branch that is regionally local to the Quad Cities IA/IL area.

BIRTHDAY AND GRADUATION CARD PROGRAM

After receiving the endowment the Gold Star Children are automatically enrolled in the Birthday and Graduation Card Program. Through this program each Gold Star Child will received a birthday card and $100 on each birthday until they are eighteen, at which time they will receive a final birthday card and $200. They will also receive $500 upon their high school graduation.

LEGACY BUDDIES PROGRAM

In keeping with the mission of SEAL Family Legacy to support Gold Star Families with children 25 and under, the Legacy Buddies program is intended to meet specific needs of Gold Star Children that will enrich the life of the child. Examples of specific needs are a summer camp, music lessons, sport equipment, college tuition, or apprenticeships. The program is available to Gold Star Families nationwide, provided they meet the true definition of a Gold Star Family. There is a limit of one request per child annually with a maximum yearly grant amount of $1,000 per child. If severe financial hardship exists SEAL Family Legacy may consider more than one grant request per year.

Thank you to our sponsors