The Scholarships for Military Children program once again came through for 500 students from military families who were each awarded a $2,000 scholarship for the 2025-26 school year.
“Thank you for recognizing me and acknowledging my academic achievement... I am truly honored to be the child of two veterans, especially my father, who retired honorably after 25 years with a medical disability,” said scholarship recipient Ian David Carstairs, a senior at Tulane University. “The funds from the scholarship are extremely helpful. I am very honored and grateful to receive these funds as it takes the stress off of paying for my last year of undergraduate studies.”
The program, created in 2001, recognizes the contributions of military families to the readiness of the fighting force and celebrates the commissaries’ role in enhancing the military’s quality of life. Fisher House Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps service members and their families, partners with the Defense Commissary Agency to administer the scholarship.
“We deeply appreciate our partnership with the Defense Commissary Agency and the support of all our generous sponsors, whose contributions ensure the success of this program year after year,” said Marshall Banks, Fisher House Foundation’s director of community relations.
No government funds are used to support the Scholarships for Military Children program. Commissary vendors, manufacturers, brokers, suppliers, and the general public donate to fund the program.
Sponsors for the 2025-26 scholarship program are:
At the five-star level, donating $200,000 to $499,999: Harold Casty Estate
At the three-star level, donating $25,000 to $49,999: Avineon, Inc.; Degree, a Unilever brand, and the San Diego Padres; Major General Harry Greene AUSA Aberdeen Chapter; Colonel (Ret) William E. & Helen Q. Sherman
At the two-star level, donating $10,000 to $24,999: ADP Foundation; Anonymous (2); Big Green Army Tailgater; Fisher House, Inc.; Kimberly-Clark Corporation; Perry and Donna Golkin Family Foundation
At the one-star level, donating $2,000 to $9,999: bBIG Communications Inc.; Dr. Sean Downing; Elite Brands, LLC; General Mills, Inc.; Dr. Sanjiv Kaul; Matrix Medical Foundation, Inc.; Lt Col Ronald Mattana, USAF (Ret.); Mead & Hunt; Naval Academy Spouses' and Civilians' Club; Henry Shin and Jennifer Choy-Shin; The Thomas J. and Ruth E. Grimaldi Foundation; The Wonderful Company
Overseas Service Corp. and Webco Services Co. also supported the Scholarships for Military Children program.
Businesses, organizations, and individuals interested in sponsoring the 2026-27 scholarships can contact sthomas@fisherhouse.org.
To read the full wrap-up of the 2026-26 scholarship program, go to: https://corp.commissaries.com/our-agency/newsroom/news-releases/scholarships-military-children-fisher-house-foundation-deca