Travis Manion Foundation Equips 3,000 Students With Character Education and School Supplies Through Back to School Character Days Initiative

Travis Manion Foundation (TMF), one of the nation’s leading veteran service organizations, will host Back to School Character Days in 70 communities throughout the month of August. Through this annual, nationwide event, TMF Veteran Mentors provide a day of character education and a free backpack of school supplies to thousands of students as they prepare for the new school year. The events help fill economic gaps in under-resourced communities while empowering students to start the school year with confidence in their own individual character strengths.  

Back to School Character Days bring TMF’s hallmark Character Does Matter youth mentorship program, powered by UA Freedom, to students before the start of the new school year. TMF volunteers ensure students have the resources they need for a successful school year, including character education led by trained TMF Veteran Mentors and a backpack full of school supplies. 

Back to School Character Days exemplify the ripple effect of TMF’s youth mentoring program. When Veteran Mentors demonstrate their commitment to youth by providing education and supplies for the upcoming school year, those students are then more equipped to see how leading with character can make a difference in their schools and communities. According to TMF research, 95.4% of youth who connect with Veteran Mentors report they are more motivated to help others because of TMF. 

“Back to School Character Days prepare students for a successful start to the new school year,” said Josh Jabin, Chief Operating Officer, Travis Manion Foundation. “Having a new backpack and school supplies provides under-resourced students with confidence. Additionally, TMF Veteran Mentors equip students with the intangible resources they need to succeed and make a difference in their communities by engaging them in conversations about character. We’re grateful to our generous donors, partners, and volunteers for sharing this vision and making Back to School Character Days a success again this year.”

To learn more about Back to School Character Days, visit https://www.travismanion.org/back-to-school-character-days. 

About Travis Manion Foundation: Travis Manion Foundation (TMF) is a community—led by veterans and families of the fallen but open to all—that serves together and supports each other. In 2007, 1stLt Travis Manion (USMC) was killed in Iraq while saving his wounded teammates. Today, Travis’ legacy lives on in the words he spoke before leaving for his final deployment, “If Not Me, Then Who…” Guided by this mantra, veterans and families of the fallen are empowered to become leaders in their communities, develop strong relationships, and thrive in their post-military lives by serving as character role models to youth. As a result, communities prosper and the character of our nation’s heroes lives on in the next generation. For more information on the Foundation visit www.travismanion.org