David Kim (left) receives the “Veteran of the Year” award at a July 12, 2022 ceremony. Courtesy, Military Times Service Members of the Year
For his acts of kindness in service of Gold Star Families, Miami Resident David Kim was named ‘Veteran of the Year’ by the annual Military Times Service Members of the Year program at its award ceremony on July 12. The 56 year-old Miami and New York resident and his organization, Children of Fallen Patriots (CFP), have supported hundreds of Gold Star children in attending college. But with this new and honorable recognition, David Kim anticipates helping thousands more now.
The non-profit philanthropy has delivered college scholarships to more than 2,300 military children who have lost a parent in the line of duty, with seven of those students from South Florida schools. With an estimated 686 military students living in Florida who could benefit from his group’s support, Kim hopes the recognition from the award will bolster public awareness of his organization and help it reach out to those who need it most.
Kim and his wife, Cynthia co-founded CFP in 2002 to pay tribute to parents from all military branches who made the ultimate sacrifice for the country and their families. Speaking to the Miami Herald, Kim explained, “Our view is that their parents would have wanted them to achieve their dreams. We want to help them,” he said.
Beneficiaries of the CFP scholarships are students under the age of 35 who are enrolled in any discipline of post-secondary education. There is no formal application prerequisite for receiving funds and the scholarship does not apply to graduate school. In addition, the students are required to keep a steady 2.0 GPA. Kim’s wife, Cynthia, oversees the programs. The CFP also provides educational counseling, helps pay for SAT/ ACT preparation courses, and college application fees for high school students, among many other services.
Per the 2021 Veterans Affairs report, Florida has the third-largest veteran population in the nation, with more than 1,492,000 veteran residents. We are inspired by David and Cynthia Kim. We share in their hope that their effort to find more Gold Star children and help them rise to the top is successful in the years to come. To learn more or help the CFP mission, please visit: https://www.fallenpatriots.org/
See you on the trail,
Lisa
LMA Newsletter of 8-8-22
