Bringing Them Home May 2024
Issue 6 May 2024
Campaign Results
We are thrilled to announce the incredible success of our Annual Home for the Holidays campaign! Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we raised a total of $25,175, which is enough to provide 33 Tickets Home for military members to reunite with their families during the holiday season.
We extend our deepest gratitude to all the donors who contributed to this remarkable achievement. Your support, whether big or small, has made a significant impact on the lives of our military families. A special thank you goes out to those who were able to secure matching funds from their employers, doubling the impact of their donations.
Issue 6 Table of Contents
Letter From Our President
As we celebrate over five years of serving our mission, I find myself reflecting on the incredible journey we’ve embarked upon together. None of our accomplishments would have been possible without your unwavering support and generosity.
Since our inception, we have been able to provide over 575 tickets home, with the milestone of 600 rapidly approaching. Your donations have been the driving force behind these achievements, enabling so many military families to reunite and spend precious time together.
It’s important to acknowledge that 55% of our applicants earn less than $25,000 per year. As inflation continues to drive up prices, the financial strain on these families becomes even more overwhelming. Your contributions have played a vital role in easing this burden and making these reunions possible.
As I read through the heartfelt applications, I’m reminded of the significant impact of our work. Many applicants haven’t seen their families in years.
Moreover, the appreciation expressed by both applicants and recipients in their post-award surveys serves as a poignant reminder of the profound difference we’re making in the lives of those we serve.
Your continued support fuels our commitment to this cause, and we are immensely grateful for your dedication. Together, we are bringing joy, comfort, and hope to military families.
This month, I invite you to consider making a donation or setting up a recurring monthly donation. Your contribution, no matter the size, will make a difference in the lives of military families longing to be reunited with their loved ones.
Thank you for your commitment to our cause.
Wishing you a peaceful and meaningful Memorial Day this year,
Larry Jackson
President
EVENTS
Bailey’s Run 2024 Release of Bring Me Home Wine on May 25
Get ready for an unforgettable experience as Bailey’s Run Vineyard gears up for its fourth annual Memorial Day Weekend event in support of the Ben Jackson Foundation. Join us on Saturday, May 25, for a day filled with camaraderie and goodwill, all for a great cause.
This year, we’re thrilled to offer you another chance to be part of something special by supporting the Ben Jackson Foundation’s mission of reuniting military families. Be the first to taste the newest edition of Bring Me Home wine, an exclusive creation crafted with love and dedication to our mission. With every sip, know that you’re making a direct impact, as proceeds from wine sales go toward covering travel expenses for newly enlisted service members, making it easier for them to visit their loved ones.
Even if you can’t join us in person, you can still show your support by purchasing Bring Me Home wine online at www.baileysrunvineyard.com.
We can’t wait to share this special day with you! Join us as we raise a glass to honor our military community and their families.
Golf Outing to Benefit Ben Jackson Foundation
Last summer, Verona’s own Tanner Kaltenberg, serving in the Marine Corps, tragically passed away on active duty.
Tanner’s dad, Jim Kaltenberg, is hosting a Memorial Golf Outing on Friday, May 31, at the scenic Edelweiss Country Club in New Glarus, WI. Get ready for a day packed with fun including silent auctions, a thrilling 50/50, and a mouthwatering dinner to cap off the outing.
All hole sponsorships will go toward supporting the Ben Jackson Foundation, so if your business wants to get in on the action, hit up Jim at 608.712.9311 by May 20. Not only will your company get a shout-out with a sign at the hole, but your donation is fully tax deductible!
Letter from the Benson Family
Hello, we are the family of Hawken Benson. Hawken received a ticket home from your foundation to come home for deer camp and Thanksgiving. We cannot thank you enough. We know from reading about this foundation that you truly do know how special and unforgettable this visit was for us all.
Hawken is stationed in Tokyo, Japan. Hawken’s older brother (by just 12 months) is also in the military and was in Guam and now Alaska. Having two boys in the Air Force and so far away has made it difficult to get them home at the same time. The cost of two overseas tickets is difficult to afford. Your foundation has allowed our family to reunite after 16 months apart. It was a beautiful and sacred time.
Our 14-year-old daughter loves her brothers dearly and loved having time with them at deer camp and just hanging out at home. We hosted Thanksgiving for our whole extended family including 90-year-old Great Grandma Evelyn. It was a blessed day indeed.
While home the five of us shared our family Christmas and made some goals together for the new year. It has been a difficult year for both of the boys for different reasons and coming home was the grounding they needed to go at it again with renewed faith and the love and support of all the people who care about them.
It truly means the world to me (mom) to be able to give them that. Thank you!
Please see these pictures and smile over what you have made possible for one small family in Wisconsin. We will never forget it.
We had never heard of this foundation until just before Hawken applied. We have since been spreading the word to everyone we know. This really is a beautiful foundation and an amazing tribute to Ben.
All our love and gratitude,
The Benson Family
THANK YOU
Kohler Company Donates Travel Voucher
We’re thrilled to extend our heartfelt gratitude to KOHLER Company for their remarkable generosity! Their recent donation of a travel voucher enabled us to support a young airman who tragically lost his father the day after Christmas. Thanks to KOHLER’s kindness, he was able to be with his family during this difficult period. Thank you, KOHLER Company, for your unwavering support and generosity.
Dirty Dog Tap House Rocks Veterans Day
On Veterans Day, Dirty Dog Tap House hosted a benefit event featuring live music by Marc Barnaby, raising $1200 for our Annual Home for the Holidays event. A huge thank you to Marc, Leah, Keith, and everyone at Dirty Dog for the fantastic time, music, and beer! Your support is truly appreciated.
Heartfelt Thank You to Brenda's Blumenladen
We are incredibly grateful to Brenda’s Blumenladen for their generous support and heartwarming gesture during the holiday season. Their “12 Days of Giving” initiative truly embodied the spirit of community and generosity. We’re thrilled to share that their generosity resulted in a donation of over $1500 to the Ben Jackson Foundation. This contribution will go a long way in supporting our mission of reuniting military families and easing the financial burdens they face. Thank you for being an integral part of our community and for making a meaningful difference in the lives of those who serve our country.
Lake Louie Brewing Company February Cause
In February, Lake Louie Brewing Company made a generous contribution to our foundation by selling a special charity beer, Dank Beast. Through this initiative, they were able to donate a remarkable $532 to support our cause. Here’s what they shared: “This month, our Filler Operator, Jake Vetterli, chose the Ben Jackson Foundation as our charity of the month. We’re proud to support an organization that recognizes the sacrifices made by newly enlisted military members and provides financial assistance to help them visit home from their first permanent duty station.” A heartfelt thank you to Lake Louie Brewing Company and everyone who contributed to this meaningful cause. Your support makes a real difference in the lives of our military community.
Share this:
You have helped provide
575
Ticket Home Awards worth
$237,250
11 Emergency Trips Home
2022 Awards By Branch
Air force = 89
Army = 19
Navy = 12
Marine Corps = 7
Space Force = 5
"Thank you so so much for what you do. Your organization made it so much more possible to make it home for Thanksgiving to see my family. Your work is amazing and my appreciation is beyond words."
"Hello! This has been an amazing experience and I am so blessed to have been chosen. I cannot express my appreciation enough."
"I was able to see my 90 year old great grandmother who I didn’t think I would get to see again. I am forever grateful."
"I’m just so blessed and grateful that this foundation chose me. It helped a lot financially for me to able to purchase a plane ticket back home especially me being stationed in Fairbanks Alaska—plane tickets aren’t cheap. I’m just grateful!"
"This Ticket Home program has helped me become much more healthier mentally and physically since the day I took off. It is a blessing for those of us who struggle financially and are alone."