South Bend, IN—Today, Congressman Joe Donnelly donated nearly 80,000 frequent flier miles to the Hero Miles program. Donnelly donated the miles, which he accumulated in the course of his official travel to and from Washington, D.C., on behalf of all the residents of the Second District.

The nonprofit Fisher House Foundation administers the Hero Miles program, which is comprised of individual airlines whose passengers donate their frequent flier miles to assist service members and their families.

Specifically, the Hero Miles program provides free airline tickets to service members who are undergoing treatment at a military or VA medical center as a result of their service in Iraq or Afghanistan and to the families of these service members.

“I am proud to donate the frequent flier miles I’ve accumulated in the past year to the Hero Miles program on behalf of the people of the Second District of Indiana.” said Donnelly. “During the holiday season, it is especially important to be surrounded by family and friends in order to accelerate the healing process.”

Service men and women with an approved leave of five or more days are entitled to a free round-trip airline ticket home if they are not eligible for government-funded airfare, or they may receive airline tickets to enable their family or close friends to visit them while they are being treated at the medical center.

Corporal Mitchell Nihart, who flew home from Fort Knox yesterday using the Hero Miles program, joined Congressman Donnelly for this afternoon’s announcement. “The Hero Miles program and the Fisher House both represent the compassion that our country has for its warriors in the on-going war against terror. The fact that I will now spend Christmas with my son and my family in my own home is very special to me. I am humbled by the generosity of the individuals who make this program possible.”

“We are most appreciative of Congressman Donnelly’s thoughtfulness and generosity,” said Jim Weiskopf, Fisher House Foundation Vice President.  “The gift of frequent flier miles is even more appropriate during the holiday season when so many wounded or injured service members want to be reunited with their families.” 

As of this month, the Hero Miles program has provided nearly 16,000 free tickets in collaboration with the airlines and the Department of Defense to service members and their families.

For more information, visit www.fisherhouse.org

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