Gary Sinise Foundation Inaugural Gala to Support Nation’s Vets & Heroes Raises Over $1.6 Million

Gary Sinise Foundation (GSF) Hosts Inaugural A Night of Honor Gala to Celebrate Foundation’s Growth, Support, and Appreciation for Our Nation’s Veterans, First Responders, Wounded Heroes, and Families of Our Fallen

The gala, featuring GSF partners, supporters, veterans, first responders, special guests and celebrity emcees Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton, raised more than $1.6 million to support GSF programs

Gala also featured the largest gathering of severely wounded heroes who have received a custom, mortgage-free, smart-technology home built for their injuries through the Foundation’s R.I.S.E. Program.

Nashville, Tennessee – The Gary Sinise Foundation (GSF), which was established more than 11 years ago under the philanthropic direction of award-winning actor and humanitarian Gary Sinise, who has been a deeply committed supporter of veterans, first responders and defenders for nearly 40 years, hosted its inaugural A Night to Honor Gala Saturday night at the Gaylord Opryland Center in Nashville, Tennessee, which follows the Foundation’s official move of its national headquarters to Nashville earlier this Spring.

Photos from the gala can be found in the Dropbox link here.

The gala, which was hosted by award-winning actors Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton featured a special performance by Rascal Flatts’ lead singer Gary LeVox and raised more than $1.6 million to support the Foundation’s mission of serving and supporting our nation’s most severely wounded heroes, veterans, active-duty service members, first-responders, and their families in their greatest times of need.

Other special guests included retired members of the New York City Fire Department and first responders from around the country, GSF Ambassadors as well as several entertainers, actors, and actresses including Angie Harmon, Melissa Joan Hart, Rob Riggle and Renee Zellweger.

One of many highlights of the night was the honoring of our nation’s most severely wounded heroes (those suffering from amputations, burns, brain injuries, paralysis, and so forth) who have received specially-adapted, smart technology homes built for their needs through the Foundation’s R.I.S.E. program.

These mortgage-free homes help these heroes regain their freedom and independence, the very things they served to protect and defend for us all. Among the 15 wounded heroes honored was U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills, a quadruple amputee who was injured by an improvised explosive device (IED) while on deployment in April 2012, who spoke on behalf of the R.I.S.E. recipients in attendance on how much the Foundation has impacted his life for the better.

“So many of our nation’s heroes silently struggle, not wanting to burden others with their challenges. But letting them know they’re not alone on their journey, reminding them that there are many grateful Americans out there who love and appreciate them, can make a positive difference in their lives,” said Actor and Founder Gary Sinise. “At the Gary Sinise Foundation, we share the love of everyone who supports our mission with those we serve. We share your light in often their darkest hours. When asked, we show up however and wherever we can, but we also show up without being asked. We are proactive in our approach because that’s what this foundation was created for, our defenders deserve it. And through your support, we will continue to show up and be a beacon of hope.”

“In our mission statement, you will find the word “inspire”. For Gary, the inclusion of this word has several meanings, but a key ingredient for him was, that by inspiring through taking action, shining a light on the men and women who protect and defend us, and lending a hand consistently and repeatedly, by doing a little more, so many more of our defenders and families would get the support they need and deserve, as others would see his actions and be inspired to take action themselves,” said GSF Executive Director Donna Palmer. “Using the public platform Gary has had in the entertainment business has helped to expand his outreach further and wider, as more and more of our fellow citizens have rallied to this cause. And we are just getting started.”

Since its founding more than 11 years ago, GSF has donated more than 12,000 pieces of essential equipment to law enforcement and first responders, dedicated 80 mortgage-free smart homes to our nation’s most severely wounded heroes, hosted thousands of uplifting events, and served meals to more than 600,000 of our nation’s defenders across the United States. GSF also supports thousands of families of our fallen heroes around the country through their Snowball Express program, offering regional events that provide a fun, safe environment for these special families.

Snowball Express is also returning to Walt Disney World in December for the first time since before the pandemic, flying in hundreds of surviving families of fallen heroes from around the country for several fun-filled days of fun in a warm and welcoming space.

Most recently, the Foundation created a digital Honor Wall on its website to honor all those who have served our country with dignity and who continue to protect our freedom and safety by preserving their loved ones’ names through the Honor Roll initiative.

For more information on the Gary Sinise Foundation (GSF) and its programs that serve and support veterans, active-duty heroes, first responders and their families who sacrifice alongside them, please visit www.garysinisefoundation.org.

About The Gary Sinise Foundation

The Gary Sinise Foundation was established under the philanthropic direction of award-winning actor and humanitarian Gary Sinise, who has been an advocate of our nation’s defenders for nearly 40 years. The Gary Sinise Foundation’s mission is to serve our country by honoring our military service men and women, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need. The Foundation’s four programmatic pillars provide for those who sacrifice so much for our country – R.I.S.E. (Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment) Program (https://www.garysinisefoundation.org/rise/) , Relief and Resiliency Program (https://www.garysinisefoundation.org/relief-and-resiliency/) , Community and Education Program (https://www.garysinisefoundation.org/community-outreach-and-education/), the First Responders Outreach Program (https://www.garysinisefoundation.org/first-responders-outreach/) . As the Founder, Gary Sinise always says, “While we can never do enough for our nation’s defenders and their loved ones who sacrifice alongside them, we can always do a little more.” That spirit of service is the bedrock of all the Foundation’s programs. For more information, please visit GarySiniseFoundation.org (https://www.garysinisefoundation.org/) .