For the past decade, the Carrington Charitable Foundation (CCF) [1] has supported non-profit organizations and communities across the nation. In September of 2019, CCF introduced a Round Up program for Carrington Mortgage Services (CMS) [2] customers that provides them with an easy way to support the work CCF is doing by “rounding-up" their monthly mortgage payment to the nearest dollar, with the additional amount being made as a donation to CCF. In addition to rounding up, borrowers also can elect to donate an additional $1, $5 or an amount of their choosing. To date, the CCF Round Up program has raised more than $200,000 to support programs for combat wounded veterans nationwide.
“CCF Round Up is very similar to what customers can do at grocery stores and retail stores to support non-profits,” said Shelly Lawrence, Executive Director of Community Relations for Carrington Charitable Foundation. “When Carrington customers round up for CCF, they’re providing critical support to our veteran-focused programs. It is also a way for Carrington clients to become a part of and support our mission.”
CCF supports the nation’s veterans through a few initiatives, including:
- The Veterans Airlift Command (VAC) [3]: CCF financially supports VAC by working with a network of volunteer aircraft owners and pilots, providing free private air transportation for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts and their families.
- Carrington House provides custom, adaptive homes for catastrophically injured veterans. To date, Carrington House has built 27 homes for veterans, each designed to meet the special needs of wounded veterans and their families.
- The Travis Mills Foundation: Focused on the veteran’s struggle transitioning to a civilian life post-service, CCF supports the operating budget of the Travis Mills Foundation [4], a retreat for wounded veterans to help return a sense of normalcy after traumatic injuries.
- The Honor Foundation [5]: CCF assists veterans during their transition back to civilian life by supporting and providing opportunities with other like-minded non-profits like The Honor Foundation, which offers programs aiding veterans in the transition from military to civilian life.
During 2020, funds from the CCF Round Up program provided critical funding for three Carrington House homes for wounded veterans. These included homes for U.S. Army Specialist Matthew Melancon, who endured amputations of both legs, a life-threatening MRSA infection and many reconstructive surgeries following an improvised explosive device (IED) attack in Afghanistan in 2011; U.S. Army Sergeant 1st Class Matthew Miles, who was severely wounded when an IED destroyed his vehicle in Afghanistan in 2007; and U.S. Marine Corporal Michael Jernigan, who lost his eyes and vision in Iraq in 2004 after being hit with 155 mm artillery shells while on patrol, and who later endured more than 30 complex operations.
“We are humbled and incredibly grateful that Carrington customers have chosen to round up to support these important Veteran programs,” said Rosemary Rose, Chairman, Carrington Charitable Foundation. “Their donations are making an important difference in the lives of service members who have given so much to protect and preserve the freedoms we all hold dear.”