LYNCHBURG, Tenn. (Jan. 12, 2015) – Jack Daniel’s and the Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) have raised over $220,000 to assist a total of 773 single service members and those with families get home for the holidays through “Operation Ride Home” in 2014.With a 48% increase in donations from the previous year, 393 service members, for a total of 773 individuals, traveled to their homes across 43 states and were able to celebrate the holidays together this season. The program assisted servicemen and women from every branch of service.
“The outpouring of support for our servicemen and women and their families this year has been overwhelming,” said Jeff Arnett, Master Distiller for Jack Daniel’s. “Helping these heroes get home to be with their families over the holidays is the least we can do, and we thank all of our friends for their donations and supporting this worthy cause.”
New to the program in 2014, airline mile donations were accepted from selected airlines. More than 90,000 airline miles were donated as a result.
Since its beginning in 2011, Operation Ride Home has assisted 1,557 service members and their families, a total of 3,550 individuals, travel from their bases to homes across the country for the holidays.
“Spending time with loved ones is an important part of the holidays,” said Mike Landers, President & CEO of the ASYMCA. “Providing that opportunity to those who devote their lives to our freedom and allowing them to be with their loved ones, means so much to these young heroes and their families. The genuine gratitude and joy these families have expressed is not easily put into words, but could be felt each time we purchased their plane ticket or provided them with a gift card for gas money home.”
Through vouchers for plane tickets and pre-paid debit cards to assist those who drove, Operation Ride Home has helped fund travel for junior-enlisted service members and families in need of financial aid for the past four years. The portion of funding received after service member applications were fulfilled will be reserved for Operation Ride Home 2015.
“We’d like to thank Jack Daniel’s, Brown-Forman, their distributors across the country and all of the generous, kind-hearted donors who made this possible, and allowed us to make this holiday season easier and a little brighter for our troops.” Landers added.
For additional information, please visit http://www.jdoperationridehome.com or contact the ASYMCA at 1-800-597-1260.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Mark Day (615) 780-3345
Charlotte Caldwell (703) 455-3986 ext. 112
About Jack Daniel’s
Officially registered by the U.S. Government in 1866 and based in Lynchburg, Tenn., the Jack Daniel Distillery, Lem Motlow, proprietor, is the oldest registered distillery in the United States and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Jack Daniel’s is the maker of the world-famous Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey, Gentleman Jack Rare Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey and Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails.
Celebrate Joyfully. Drink Responsibly.
About the Armed Services YMCA
The Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) is a nonprofit organization which has been dedicated to making military life easier for more than 150 years. Impacting over 500,000 families annually, the ASYMCA offers low and no cost programs through 200 service centers at 32 branch and affiliate locations serving 45 of the largest military installations nationwide. Of the 1.2M active duty military stationed in the US, approximately 82% are located where the ASYMCA has a branch or affiliate nearby to help make military life easier. The ASYMCA does not receive government funding, and does not charge dues or membership fees for their programs. Eighty-nine cents of every dollar donated goes directly to support programs. In 2013 the ASYMCA was designated as a top-rated charity by CharityWatch and for the 8th consecutive year received the highest (4-star) rating from Charity Navigator. Your tax deductible donation (Tax ID #36-3274346) to the ASYMCA will make a significant impact on the lives of junior enlisted service members and their families. Please visit asymca.org to learn more.
