The 3rd & Goal Foundation raised more than $84,000 to assist military veterans May 3 during its inaugural Heroes in the Hangar event at the MPW Aviation Center.
Former NFL, Notre Dame and Dublin Coffman quarterback Brady Quinn founded the 3rd & Goal Foundation in 2011.
“Net proceeds from the event will support the Peer-to-Peer Sponsorship Program at Ohio State University’s Office of Military and Veterans Services,” said Brady Quinn. “The program helps incoming student veterans and service members make a smooth transition from military services to the college environment by pairing them with peer sponsors who can help with paperwork, finding a place to live, navigating campus and anything else a new student might need.”
The gift from the 3rd & Goal Foundation will provide funding to expand and extend Ohio State’s peer sponsor program for three years, according to Mike Carrell, assistant vice provost and director of the OSU Office of Military and Veterans Services.
The Heroes in the Hangar event included a raffle for an all-expense-paid weekend getaway for two via private jet. Nearly 300 people attended, including former Ohio State and NFL football players James Laurinaitis, Brian Robiskie, Beanie Wells, Bobby Carpenter, Jake Stoneburner and Zach Boren.
“The 3rd & Goal group did a phenomenal job organizing and managing the event,” said Kristen Black, MPW’s Director of Philanthropy & Community Engagement. “They approached us last fall with the Heroes in the Hangar concept and they have been wonderful to work with. Brady is a great person with a big heart and he’s doing this for all the right reasons.”
The 3rd & Goal Foundation’s Operation Home initiative grants funds toward the building or remodeling of living spaces for those wounded in combat or discharged with an injury. The organization’s Operation Education helps fund the Warrior-Scholar Project, which is a free immersive academic boot camp at the University of Notre Dame for current and former military service members. Finally, Operation Joy aids veterans’ families during the holidays and funds trips to football games, concerts or other special events.
“My Dad was a marine and his father was a World War II veteran,” said Quinn. “Were it not for sports, I likely would have followed a similar path, so I’ve always wanted to give back. To support our veterans.”
MPW’s Aviation Center at John Glenn Columbus International Airport opened in 2018. The 52,000-square-foot facility is located at 4489 Bridgeway Ave., on a 5.76-acre parcel on the airport’s north airfield. It is one of only three privately owned hangars at the airport. The others belong to NetJets and Nationwide Insurance.
“None of this would have been possible were it not for the incredible generosity of MPW and the Black family,” said Quinn. “I’ve rarely met people who were so generous not just with their resources, but their time.”
Monte Black, MPW’s Chairman and CEO, is a U.S. Air Force veteran. In 1972, Black became a proud graduate of the 3709 Squadron of the U.S. Air Force at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Later the same year, Black founded MPW. Today, hundreds of military veterans hold positions within the MPW organization.
Special thank you to our top sponsors MPW, Wells Fargo, Vault Aviation, LAZ Parking, and Byers Auto for joining our team to make a difference in the lives of veterans in need at Heroes in the Hangar.
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