(South Bend, IN)--Today, Congressman Joe Donnelly donated nearly 50,000 frequent flier miles to the Hero Miles Program. Donnelly donated the miles, which he has accumulated in the course of official travel to and from Washington, on behalf of all residents of the Second District.
The nonprofit Fisher House Foundation administers the "Hero Miles" program, which is comprised of individual airlines whose passengers donate their frequent flyer miles to assist service members and their families.
Specifically, the Hero Miles program provides free airline tickets to military men and women who are undergoing treatment at a military or VA medical center incident to their service in Iraq or Afghanistan, and their families.
“I am proud to donate the frequent flier miles I’ve accumulated in the past year to the Hero Miles program on behalf of the people of the Second District of Indiana.” said Donnelly. “In my discussions with military families and my visits to Walter Reed, I’ve learned how important it is to have family nearby to aid in the healing process.”
Service men and women with an approved leave of five or more days are entitled to a free round-trip airline ticket home if they are not eligible for government-funded airfare or they may receive airline tickets to enable their family or close friends to visit them while they are being treated at the medical center.
Julie Coon, whose son was injured in Iraq this past July and is currently undergoing rehabilitation in Seattle, Wa., joined Donnelly for this morning’s announcement and reiterated the importance of a program that allows families of injured service members to reunite. “Being with my son as he undergoes rehabilitation has been so important to his healing process. I commend Congressman Donnelly for bringing attention to this valuable program.”
“Fisher House Foundation’s Hero Miles Program is extremely grateful for the donation of frequent flyer miles from Congressman Donnelly,” said Pam LeMaida, the program’s director. “It is gifts such as this that allow the Foundation to turn the generosity of the American people into free airline tickets for injured or wounded service or their family members.”
As of December 31, 2007 the Hero Miles program has provided 13,148 free tickets in collaboration with its partner Airlines.
For more information, visit www.fisherhouse.org.
