2023 Annual Report
2023 Annual Report
Message from Susan Ludwig, President
I must start this annual report by expressing gratitude. While 2023 was a difficult year for non-profits, our generous community showed up again and again for Coast Guard members and families when they were in need.
The impact of your generosity is summarized in this annual report. But that impact is so much deeper and more important than text and pictures can convey. It can only be felt, as I feel it, repeatedly, when meeting with the families you support.
Hearing their voices, seeing the tears of thanks in their eyes, feeling the gratitude in their hugs. I wish each of you could experience it. Representing your support for them and their appreciation for you is the greatest privilege of my position.
As we look to expand our future impact, it is important to recognize what we, together, have achieved. In 2018 our fundraising revenue was less than $8 million. In just five years, despite several very tough years, we have increased it by 50% to almost $12 million. Our endowments and investments, representing future Coast Guard support, have almost doubled in the same period, from $10 million to $18 million. In addition, we have invested in fundraising infrastructure that will allow us to reach new heights of support. All these gains are significant and have us on a path for transformational impact to our Coast Guard members and families.
It is an exciting time to be part of the Foundation and I am grateful for everything you do.
2023 Highlights
IMPACT: Family Resilience
Support when Coast Guard members need it most
The Coast Guard Foundation aided 79 Coast Guard members and families who lost homes and property to natural disasters last year.
Typhoon Mawar struck Guam in May, with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph and gusts of up to 165 mph, the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane. Wildfires consumed vast parts of Maui on August 8, impacting Coast Guard members with homes in the area. Hurricane Idalia struck Florida in late August.
In addition, 12 Coast Guard families received tragedy assistance after they suffered the death of their Coast Guard members and immediate family members, providing comfort and solace during their time of great need.
IMPACT: Morale and Wellness
Morale and wellness support to meet the demands of Coast Guard service
The Foundation funded 212 projects to support health and wellness at Coast Guard units nation-wide and help members remain always ready by maintaining their physical and mental well-being while at sea or stationed in remote areas.
In addition, the crews of four new fast response cutters brought into service received grants of $5,000 to establish their health and wellness priorities.
A national initiative that provides life skills resources for Coast Guard families through a partnership with the Coast Guard Chaplain Program, helped families connect and build positive, supportive relationships. We funded suicide prevention peer training classes, resiliency outings, marriage retreats, and other services for Coast Guard and family members around the country in 2023.
Resiliency programs for the Coast Guard provided support for sexual assault survivors. A first of its kind “Wellness Day” at the Coast Guard Academy featured workshops on physical, mental and emotional health, social and family relationships, and substance abuse.
IMPACT: Community
Support for families that fosters community, builds engagement, and celebrates Coast Guard service
A strong community is essential to healthy, active, and engaged Coast Guard members and families. The Coat Guard Foundation supports community building through a variety of ways, including the youth enrichment program, which provides grants to Coast Guard kids to attend summer camp, and activities around the country like the Run to Remember and support for the Coast Guard's K-9 program.
Our youth enrichment program went national in 2023. For the first time, we were able to support Coast Guard families across the country. First launched in Hawaii in 2019, the program was in a pilot phase on the West Coast for four years before expanding to all Coast Guard regions this year. The program provides resources to Coast Guard families to send their kids to camps and enrichment programs during summer break so they can explore individual interests, create new experiences, and develop social and emotional intelligence. The 2023 youth enrichment program, affectionately called “Coastie Campers.”
Foundation supporters nationwide raised funds for Fallen Heroes scholarships and tragedy assistance support for Coast Guard families through Run to Remember events and the Workout to Remember campaign. A new endowment created permanent support for Coast Guard K-9s and their handlers so we can care for and honor the service’s most faithful companions.
We partnered with “The Catch,” a celebrity fishing tournament on CBS Sports, which featured Foundation support for our Coast Guard heroes, to highlight the service’s value to our nation.
We also celebrated Coast Guard heroism and mission excellence at events in New Orleans, Fort Lauderdale, Washington, D.C., Seattle, Honolulu, New York City, and Houston. We participated in key Coast Guard events around the country, including the 75th anniversary of the Training Center in Cape May, the 25th anniversary of Air Station Atlantic City, the Coast Guard Marathon in North Carolina, and the Coast Guard Festival in Michigan, among others, to recognize the important of Coast Guard members and their families.
Download the full annual report for more highlights of our community support and engagement, including a profile on Lt. Cdr. Duane Zitta, an active-duty Coast Guard member and stalwart supporter of the Run to Remember movement since its inception in 2016, He completed the KEYS100, a 100-mile ultra-marathon in the Florida Keys, to raise awareness and support for the Coast Guard Foundation’s tragedy assistance programs. You'll also learn more about Roy Vander Putten, a beloved Coast Guard Foundation Trustee Emeritus, who was honored with the 2023 Spirit of Hope Award.
IMPACT: Education and Workforce Development
Investment in education and training for all Coast Guard members and families
We awarded 186 scholarships from $2,500 to $5,000 to Coast Guard kids pursuing their degrees at college and technical/ trade schools. This year marked the first time we increased all scholarships across the board to a minimum of $2,500 and expanded our scope to reach more college-age children of enlisted members and commissioned officers.
Nine children of Coast Guard members who made the ultimate sacrifice received Fallen Heroes scholarships and booster grants. Booster grants allow school-aged children of those who die in Coast Guard operations to participate in enrichment throughout the year, like academic support and summer camp. Scholarships cover 100 percent of expenses for those attending the college of their choice.
We addressed many priorities at the Coast Guard Academy, including academic enrichment, cadet activities, athletics, waterfront activities, and a fueling station for student-athletes to recharge after workouts.
Workforce development programs provided classes and materials to 290 Coast Guard members pursuing professional certifications, including aircraft maintenance and captains’ licenses. This program better prepares them for their Coast Guard missions and their transition into the civilian sector when their service is over. We also awarded 115 grants to Coast Guard members to support their off-duty education.
Download the full annual report to read more about our scholarship and grant recipients.
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1085
grants to strengthen families
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405
Coast Guard members educated
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212
morale and wellness projects funded across the country
Our Supporters
Your support means the world to our service members.
Why We Give
Charles “Skip” Bowen
Charles “Skip” Bowen served in the Coast Guard for 32 years rising to the pinnacle of the enlisted workforce as the tenth Master Chief of the Coast Guard. Throughout his career he was supported by his wife Janet and their four children. Janet Bowen passed away after a long battle with cancer on August 13, 2023, and to honor her, Bowen established the Janet Bowen Endowment for Workforce and Family Needs through the Coast Guard Foundation.
“Between 2006 and 2010 as the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard, I often encountered workforce personnel and family needs that a small amount of capital might have helped if immediately applied to the situation,” said Bowen. “During my time on active-duty, Janet served as the Coast Guard’s Ombudsman at Large and worked with spouses and families across the service. She considered military family members, particularly Coast Guard family members…her family. This endowment is in Janet’s memory.”
The endowment will provide perpetual capital for the current and future Master Chief Petty Officers of the Coast Guard for workforce and family needs that require immediate funding.
Why We Give
Dick and Annette Symons
Dick and Annette Symons were early investors in newly created programs that support the mental resilience of Coast Guard members. Through their generosity, we have funded suicide intervention and prevention training for key Coast Guard personnel and marriage enrichment seminars that help Coast Guard couples build strong relationships to deal with the challenges that come with military life. We have also funded a variety of outings that help Coast Guard crews build resilience and teamwork through physical challenges and other fun activities, which they then bring back to their missions.
In response to the positive results, Dick and Annette have committed $1 million for these and similar programs in the future. With this solid foundation, we are working to bring additional investors to this worthy cause.
“It is with great pleasure that Annette and I are able to help fund mental resiliency programs for our members of the Coast Guard and their families,” said Dick Symons.
“In my capacity as a Coast Guard officer, I was able to see first-hand the positive impact these programs have. With our gift, we look forward to increasing the number of and expanding the scope of programs the Foundation will be able to offer in the future, and I strongly encourage others to consider a donation to these invaluable programs.”
Thank You
This edition of our annual report illustrates the impact of your support in 2023. We thank you for your steadfast partnership and continued investment in Coast Guard members and families. An extended report with donor honor rolls, and Munro Society and Guardians Circle membership, can be found on our website at coastguardfoundation.org/annualreport.
$100,000 and Above
$50,000-$99,999
$25,000-$49,999
$10,000-$24,999
$5,000-$9,999
Financials
The Foundation’s latest audited financials can be found online at coastguardfoundation.org/about-us/financials.