As the founders of Helping Heroes Fly, Terri Keene and Pam Matt can tell you: being a 2-woman team has its challenges. But they also know that with every family reunion that follows the work they do together, there is joy that is priceless. In fact, the pair feel honored to help the nation’s brave heroes come home, without having to worry about their finances. And they are grateful for the contributors that enable Helping Heroes Fly to fulfill such a worthwhile mission on behalf of our troops:
“We want to provide airfare to enlisted military personnel so that they can be home with their families for holidays, and special occasions when they otherwise can’t afford a ticket to get them to an important life event. We believe finances should never keep a military hero from being with family!”
How It Began
Inspired by the sacrifice the nation’s military men and women make on a daily basis, Terri and Pam knew there had to be a way to avoid the heartbreak of troops being stuck on base or in a dorm merely because they didn’t have the finances to leave. The team was determined to do something about it. Relying solely on donations, the pair help to arrange travel for servicemembers who need financial help to come home for important life events, special occasions or holidays.
How It Works
Military members who want to fly home should follow the simple instructions on the website. And here are 3 important things to keep in mind when you apply for airfare support:
- Complete the application found on the Helping Heroes Fly website and submit it, along with proof of active duty U.S. military enlistment and leave approval via email or U.S. mail. It is recommended that you apply 30 days before your desired travel date.
- Note that air travel requests are handled on a first come, first served basis. You will be notified within 24 hours of receipt of your application, and every effort will be made to fulfill your travel plans.
- There is only one trip per person permitted at this time, due to the amount of donations and funding currently available.
Help Support Our Heroes
If you’d like to make a donation that can help bring our servicemembers home when they need it most, there are several ways to do it:
- Submit a contribution to Helping Heroes Fly via PayPal
- Send a check through U.S. mail
- Shop on Amazon Smile, designating Helping Heroes Fly as your preferred funds recipient
- Make an in-kind donation
- Donate your frequent flyer miles
The Helping Heroes Fly team uses 90% of donations for airfare, while donating 100% of their time to their efforts, to keep their operating expenses at 10%. All donations are tax deductible. Learn more about making a donation.
About Terri & Pam
Terri has always had a deep appreciation for the military and felt a strong desire to ensure military families could be together when they needed it most. Meanwhile, when Pam’s son enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, she wanted to do whatever she could to make sure his friends felt like part of the family — the kind that takes care of each other. Together, they ensure that no enlisted military person is denied an opportunity to be with their family. Learn more about them.
