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USA TODAY CONTINUES “SPIRIT OF
THE USA” CHARITY PROGRAM AS PART OF NEWSPAPER’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
Highlighted Today
Disabled American Veterans
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 25, 2007
McLean, Va. – As part of USA TODAY’s 25th anniversary
celebration, USA TODAY continues its “Spirit of the USA” 25-week charity program that highlights a different
charity each week for 25 weeks.
The program began on March 30th and will continue every Friday
through September 14th as USA TODAY thanks America for its support over the past 25 years by saluting the nation’s generosity.
USA TODAY has selected 25 charities and will celebrate the work of one charity per week for 25 weeks both in print and online
via a signature USA TODAY Snapshot as well as on a special 25th anniversary web site on www.usatoday.com.
This week’s highlighted charity is Disabled American Veterans.
DAV is the nation’s largest and most established nonprofit organization exclusively serving disabled veterans and their
families. In addition to operating a nationwide Transportation Network to help sick and disabled veterans receive needed care
at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities and advancing legislation for veterans, DAV’s staff of wartime
disabled service officers provides free benefits counseling and representation for veterans at 86 offices across the country.
With more than 1.3 million members, DAV is a congressionally
chartered organization founded in 1920. More than 2.6 million veterans receive disability compensation from the VA. More than
26,000 members of the U.S. Armed Forces have been wounded in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.
DAV is promoting its relationship with the Harley-Davidson Foundation.
The Foundation recently pledged $1 million to establish the Harley’s Heroes™ program. The program allows DAV Mobile
Service Offices to add stops at more than 150 Harley-Davidson dealerships, providing free benefits counseling and outreach
to veterans who suffer as a result of wartime service.
"With the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, a new generation is
seeing the human cost that our military members are willing to pay for their country. By bringing more attention to our cause,
USA TODAY is reminding our public of the sacrifices veterans have made and continue to make,” said DAV National Adjutant
Arthur H. Wilson. “By bringing awareness to the Harley’s Heroes™ program, we know that more veterans will
be able to access our services and we’ll be able to serve more of these deserving individuals and their families.”
Readers are encouraged to learn more about DAV by visiting www.dav.org.
