Marking yesterday’s Veterans Day holiday, loanDepot, the nation’s second largest nonbank retail lender, donated $25,000 to Freedom Alliance in memory of Josh Miles, a Marine and beloved member of the WHOW family, to honor all of the heroes who have served our country. The money adds to $1.4 million raised through this year’s War Heroes on Water (WHOW) sportfishing tournament, which was founded by loanDepot Founder and CEO Anthony Hsieh in 2018, and also benefits Freedom Alliance.
Freedom Alliance is dedicated to the rehabilitation of wounded service members, combat veterans and military families. Each year Freedom Alliance provides therapeutic services for thousands of veterans, as well as scholarships for the children of fallen or combat-wounded servicemen and women.
Miles was director of military and charitable programs at Freedom Alliance, and a heartbeat of WHOW, who passed away October 18, 2021. Miles was recently honored by WHOW with the introduction of the “Josh Miles Award,” keeping the spirit of a beloved colleague and fellow brother in arms alive.
“Our service men and women sacrifice so much to protect our freedoms, and today, we’re honoring veterans across the nation with this gift,” said Hsieh. “Veterans Day is such an important holiday and it’s critical that we as a company, and a country, help our veterans on their journeys of healing. Everyone on Team loanDepot is proud to support these selfless men and women through the work of WHOW and Freedom Alliance.”
Now the largest nonprofit sportfishing tournament of its kind in the United States, WHOW directly served 100 combat-wounded veterans in 2021 and will support thousands more with the money raised.
“We’re proud to receive this donation that honors veterans, and we’re thankful for Anthony and loanDepot’s continued support of Freedom Alliance,” said Tom Kilgannon, president, Freedom Alliance. “These generous contributions help us serve thousands of brave men and women who turn to us in their times of need.”
A core program of Freedom Alliance supported by these donations is a scholarship fund honoring Americans in the Armed Forces who have sacrificed life or limb defending our country by providing educational scholarships for their children, of which Miles was a passionate supporter.