WNY Heroes, Inc. WNY HEROES, INC. 1

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1 WNY Heroes, Inc Wehrle Drive Suite 8 ~ Williamsville, NY ~ (P) ~ (F) ~ ~ [email protected] ~ Website ~ February 18, 2015 WNY HEROES, INC. 1

2 Introduction Since its inception in 2007, WNY Heroes, Inc. has grown exponentially, becoming a critical life-sustaining vehicle for veterans and their families by providing immediate financial assistance to those in need. Now, more than ever, the need is constant and growing in alarming fashion with so many veterans returning home. We are certain that the recent news of delays in getting services through the VA, that these brave and heroic men & women face upon their return, will further impact the need for program services within our organization. Below are the programs WNY Heroes, Inc. provides. On any given night, over 1700 homeless veterans are living on the streets, in parks, under bridges and behind dumpsters in WNY. Last known statistics 172,000 veterans reside in the 8 counties of WNY. WNY Heroes, Inc. Programs: "Bridging Hearts / Grant-a-Wish": serving veterans and their families with "immediate" financial assistance for life-sustaining needs within 3-5 day turnaround. Providing the veteran up to 3 months rent, mortgage and utilities. The need is constant, the funds are critical. "Adopt-A-Veteran Family": serving veterans and their families during the stressful holiday season through local donations and sponsorships providing children of veterans with gifts, food & clothing through a qualifying grant. "WNY Kids are Heroes Too": serving children of the military with grants that provide funding for organized sports, dance, summer camp designed for children of deployed parent/s, art and enrichment programs. "BackPack program": provide children of veterans with back to school backpacks filled with necessary supplies helping to enable them to succeed in school. "Pawsitive for Heroes": WNY Heroes, Inc. launched their dog therapy program in November of 2014, "Pawsitive for Heroes." This program is solely funded by Ingram Micro & Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino as a specifically designed program. We are serving veterans In order to assist them better, different forms of therapy could be incorporated into their daily routine to acclimate toward better enrichment in their lives. One form of therapy that has been proven effective is the use of therapy dogs. Contact WNY Heroes, Inc. at: for more information regarding a grant application. ALL FUNDING STAYS LOCAL! WNY HEROES, INC. 2

3 % Program Services Bridging Hearts, Grant A Wish & WNY Kids Are Heroes Too $25,691, $36,772, $80,153, $104, % % % WNY Heroes, Inc. Support, Donations & Fundraising WNY HEROES, INC. 3

4 About the President/Co-Founder Chris Kreiger was inspired to co-found WNY Heroes - a veterans' assistance organization - as a result of personal experience gained following a decade of service with the United States military. Kreiger joined the U.S. Army in 1997 with primary military occupation specialty status (MOS) as a combat medic, and secondary MOS as a member of the military Police. During his first five years in the military, he served his country and others in several important security operations: In 1998, Kreiger secured Operation Gold Cargo's cross-country munitions transfer and storage. In 1999, he served alongside North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces securing mass grave sites in Bosnia through Operation Join Forge In 2001, Kreiger was called to Ground Zero on 9/11 with the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) to protect New York City's train stations, in conjunction with the New York Police Department and Port Authority following the September 11th attacks. In 2002, he served on Operation Noble Eagle, working with Customs and Immigration to secure bridges and detect illegal immigrants and drug smuggling. Of all the challenges he faced in the military, the most impactful was to come in 2003, when he was called to serve as a medic in Operation Iraqi Freedom - the war in Iraq. During his service in Iraq, Kreiger was hit multiple times by roadside bombs, one of which left him seriously injured. The extensive injuries he sustained required surgeries on his right leg and lower back. He also dislocated a hip, lost significant hearing in both ears, now leaving him to wear hearing aids. Further complicating his short- and long-term recovery, Kreiger experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI) to the left side of his brain. Kreiger returned home where setbacks continued. It took two years to receive 100 percent disability pay - and in the meantime, he and his family experienced the additional heartbreak of losing their home as a result of financial and physical difficulties from his wartime injuries. Kreiger was released from the military in 2007, and in 2008 was sent to the Veterans Hospital Polytrauma Brain Injury Center in Richmond Virginia, where he spent 5 weeks receiving much-needed care for the injuries he incurred, including medical attention to control the seizures resulting from TBI. Today, as the co-founder of the non-profit organization WNYHeroes, Inc., Kreiger works tirelessly to provide the support, assistance and resources - financial, physical and emotional - that veterans need following service to our country. The organization's goal, as well as Kreiger's own, is to ease the transition from combat to civilian life, and eliminate the hardships and complications that too many veterans continue to experience in America today. In 2010, Kreiger was contacted and trained by local police agencies as a consultant to veteran issues involving police. Medals: The Conspicuous Silver Cross (State of NY); Army Commendation Medals with Valor (3); Army Achievement Medals (2); National Defense Service Medal; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M Device (3); Army Service Ribbon; NATO Medal; Combat Action Badge **In 2011, Christopher M. Kreiger was also presented with The Purple Heart, center ice at the Buffalo Sabres game on 11/11/11 by Congresswoman Louise Slaughter WNY HEROES, INC. 4

5 F U N D R A I S I N G WNY HEROES, INC. 5