Oak Ridge Schools honor Memorial Day by participating in ‘Jeans for Troops’

Submitted by Oak Ridge Schools

The Oak Ridge School District honored Memorial Day and the men and women who have died defending our country by raising funds for military veterans and their families.

On May 22, teachers took part in the 2014 “Jeans for Troops” fundraising drive benefiting the GI Go Fund, a nonprofit organization that helps veterans returning home find employment, go to college, access their health care and financial benefits, and link to housing.

During the drive, which has schools and companies from all across the country participating in, Oak Ridge Schools gave their employees the opportunity to wear jeans to work in exchange for a $5 donation to the GI Go Fund.

“For generations, America’s teachers have been responsible for educating America’s children,” said GI Go Fund Executive Director Jack Fanous. “They have always been individuals that mothers and fathers could rely on to set a positive example for their children. This Memorial Day, teachers around the country have set the example to our nation’s children that this holiday is more than just the first weekend of summer, and more than the year’s first barbecue. It is a day to remember the men and women who have fought and died to preserve our liberties, our freedoms, and the American way of life.”

The GI Go Fund is an organization on the cutting edge of offering support to veterans, providing veterans with innovative ways of finding employment, securing their educational and health benefits, as well as providing aid and assistance to low income and homeless veterans. Since its founding, the organization has helped tens of thousands of veterans improve their lives and give them the capacity to provide and care for their loved ones.

Proceeds from this program will go to help the organization further its mission for veterans. This year, the GI Go Fund is working to expand access to health care for veterans that go beyond the limited options currently available to them.

For more information about the GI Go Fund, or to see all the schools and business that are participating in the “Jeans For Troops” drive, visit www.gigofund.org.