"Resiliency in the Face of Trauma: Children of Fallen Heroes"

Since 9-11, there are more than 16,000 children who have lost a parent in service to our country or to PTS related suicide alone.  Children who have lost a parent traumatically are at a higher risk of dropping out of school, turning to drugs and alcohol or committing suicide.  Angels of America's Fallen honors our Fallen by supporting the dreams of their children.  By engaging children of fallen military and civilian first responders, police officers, firefighters, EMS and Dispatch in healthy, developmental, mentored activities, the children feel connected to their community, are given healthy alternatives to drugs and alcohol and build resiliency to reduce suicide rates.  

JOE LEWIS, founder and CEO of Angels of America's Fallen, is a retired Lieutenant Colonel with 25 years of service across three branches of the military. He served from Private to Lieutenant Colonel as an enlisted Army cannon crewman in a field artillery unit, a Marine Corps fighter pilot flying F/A-18 Hornets, as a flight instructor and as a transport pilot, and as an Air Force reconnaissance pilot flying the RC-26. Joe served at the National Guard Bureau in Washington DC as the Counterdrug Aviation Section Chief, Chief of Domestic Operations, and Chief of Federal Operations Programs. He supported local, state, and federal law enforcement including the FBI, Customs and Border Protection, DEA, and U.S. Secret Service. He retired from the Air Force in 2011 after completing his final tour at the United States Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations Center.

Rotary sister, KAREN KANTOR proudly serves as the Development Director for Angels.  As a wounded Veteran, she continues to honor her fallen brothers and sisters by supporting the dreams of their children.  As a former professional athlete, Karen understands the value of sports in relation to character and resiliency building, as well as how sports and the arts helps prepare youth for the challenges that life throws at them.  She has 25 plus years of nonprofit management experience and a clinical background in mental health.

LINK TO WEBSITE:  https://aoafallen.org