Organization seeks to provide military family members with financial aid

Organization seeks to provide military family members with financial aid

As a number of America's armed forces return from Iraq, there will be increased initiatives to provide these individuals and their families with access to higher education. ThanksUSA, a charity whose goal is to provide active-duty troops with need-based scholarships, recently distributed 150 financial aid packages worth $3,000 each to the spouses and children of military service members.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation recently contributed $25,000 to ThanksUSA in order to award eight scholarships to students majoring in pharmacy and related fields.

"We're honored to help support American's men and women in uniform and their families, as well as America's future generation of pharmacists," said Edith Rosato, NACDS Foundation president.

Over the past four years, ThanksUSA has awarded more than $6 million in need-based college scholarships to approximately 2,200 spouses and children of military members who were serving on active-duty status. Recipients are selected on the basis of financial need, demonstrated leadership and participation in school or community activities.

According to Sallie Mae - a provider of student loans - more than $168 billion in financial aid was available during the 2008-2009 academic year.

By Mark Danson