Pritzker Military Foundation Provides $20,000 Gift for Military Children’s Extracurricular Programs

The Pritzker Military Foundation, founded by Lieutenant Colonel Jennifer N. Pritzker (Retired), has announced a $20,000 donation to Our Military Kids, along with a matching challenge grant of up to $20,000 available through December 31, 2026. This funding will help provide extracurricular activity scholarships for eligible military children and teens in Illinois and Wisconsin. The Pritzker Military Foundation has contributed $100K between 2018-2027 to the organization, including this recent donation.

Our Military Kids is a national nonprofit organization focused on supporting children of deployed National Guard and Reserve service members, along with children of veterans receiving treatment for combat related injuries or illness. The organization works to fund extracurricular activities such as sports, arts, and tutoring, helping children stay engaged, build confidence, and experience a sense of stability during difficult periods. Through these opportunities, they aim to strengthen family wellbeing, boost morale, and create a supportive environment where military children feel valued and empowered.

“We are so proud to contribute to Our Military Kids’ mission and all of the great work that they are doing,” said LTC Jennifer Pritzker USA (Ret). “Military children are the future of our communities, and they deserve every opportunity and support we can provide to help them grow, succeed, and thrive through life’s challenges.”

Our Military Kids began in 2004 as a small pilot program supporting children in a single National Guard unit in Virginia, created in response to the growing challenges families faced during repeated deployments after 9/11. After seeing strong results and hearing from service members who wanted support for their children, the organization quickly expanded across Virginia and then into surrounding regions before becoming a nationwide program. In 2008, it broadened its reach to include children of service members and veterans from all branches who were severely injured in post-9/11 combat. Today, the organization operates nationally and has provided more than 100,000 activity grants totaling tens of millions of dollars, helping military children build resilience, confidence, and stability during difficult times.

“Our Military Kids is extremely grateful to the Pritzker Military Foundation for their generous support of our mission," said Kara Dallman, Our Military Kids executive director and retired Navy Veteran. "Thanks to your generosity, children and teens like Amelia have the chance to take part in activities that relieve stress and improve overall family wellbeing during a parent's military deployment."

The Pritzker Military Foundation is a private foundation that accepts applications by invitation only. There is no open application period.

About the Pritzker Military Foundation

The Pritzker Military Foundation seeks to support the work of both the Pritzker Military Museum & Library—and similar nonprofit organizations—to preserve American military history, restore historic military artifacts and make them accessible to the public, and provide services and essential resources to active-duty military, veterans and families of service members in all branches of the United States Armed Forces. To learn more, visit www.pritzkermilitaryfoundation.org.

About Our Military Kids® 

Our Military Kids®  is a national nonprofit offering activity awards for children (ages 1-18) of deployed National Guard, deployed Reserve, OR Veterans receiving care for combat-related injuries or illnesses. Learn more and apply online at: ourmilitarykids.org