NGS Insider: December 2025 Edition

2025 No Greater Sacrifice Impact Recap

As we celebrate this season of gratitude, we pause to reflect on why No Greater Sacrifice (NGS) exists and how we deliver on our mission. This year, we continued walking alongside our Scholars — children of post-9/11 fallen and severely wounded Service members — providing scholarships, mentorship, and coaching that empower them to pursue higher education and meaningful futures. Please consider continuing your support and make a year-end donation today.

Here's a look back at what your support made possible in 2025:

• Supported college-aged Scholars, providing customized scholarships, mentorship, and coaching to help them thrive; provided Future-Use Scholarship Recipients with guidance, preparation, and ongoing support; and supported and cheered on our Alumni as they are achieving their dreams and goals.

• 2025 BootCamp success - NGS incoming college freshmen participated in a transformational college prep experience in Washington, DC.

• Selected more NGS Recipients than any previous year to meet the current spike in demand.

• We take stewardship seriously - more than 95% of every donation goes directly to our mission, ensuring your generosity creates tangible, lasting impact on our Scholars' education, growth, and potential.

• Community-building events - Scholars connected virtually and in-person at concerts and gatherings, strengthening bonds and belonging.

• Raised awareness and funds – through partner events, media appearances including Fox News Live, and other initiatives.

• Released the Freedom's Future Impact & Donor Report – NGS became the first veteran-serving organization to quantify the long-term educational needs of these children.

This holiday season, we are especially grateful for partners, donors, and friends who make this work possible. Your gift today helps ensure we can continue to transform the futures of the children of our Nation's Heroes.

Donate Here

View the Report

Family Spotlight: The Edmundsons

The Edmundsons embody resilience, dedication, and the power of family support. Eric Edmundson, despite facing profound challenges from his severe combat injuries, has demonstrated extraordinary courage and determination. Together with Stephanie and their children, Gracie and Hunter, the family has navigated these obstacles with strength and perseverance. Both Gracie, in college, and Hunter, in high school, are NGS Scholars, benefiting from NGS's support and commitment to their growth and potential.

Gracie Edmundson is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Arts in Education at East Carolina University, preparing to become a Kindergarten or 1st-grade teacher. She brings hands-on experience as an elementary school teacher's assistant, mentors children at Camp Seafarer, and continues her passion for equestrianism — blending her love for education, mentorship, and horsemanship throughout college and beyond.

Their journey is deeply shaped by the story of their father, U.S. Army Sergeant Eric Edmundson, who was severely wounded near the Iraq/Syria border in 2005 when an IED exploded under his Stryker vehicle. Eric sustained traumatic and anoxic brain injuries, extensive injuries to his abdomen and legs, a ruptured spleen, a broken patella, and fractured vertebrae. While awaiting evacuation, he went into cardiac arrest for 30 minutes, resulting in profound long-term effects. Through years of rehabilitation—and unwavering support from his family and community—Eric has regained some mobility and communication through adaptive technology, while continuing to pursue his passions in painting, hunting, and maintaining physical strength.

Gracie reflects on the impact of NGS support:

"NGS has honored my dad's sacrifice by investing in my future. This is an investment that I will pay forward to my future students. I am very grateful for the support of the scholarship, which has helped me continue my goals further. They have provided me with not only financial support but guidance in my future goals."

— NGS Scholar Gracie Edmundson

NGS on Fox News!

Watch NGS Associate Director Boston Gilbert's recent Fox News interview, where he discusses the NGS mission and the remarkable resilience of the children of fallen and wounded Service members.

View the video here.

Giving

Need to give a last-minute holiday gift? You can donate to NGS and dedicate it to honor someone special. When you donate, simply select: "I want my donation to be dedicated:" In honor of / In memory of / etc.

You will have the option to send an email or have NGS send a mailed acknowledgment with your personalized message — an especially thoughtful way to give during the holidays.

There's still time to make an immediate impact before year-end. Our Freedom's Future Campaign runs until December 31, rallying support to meet the growing educational needs of NGS Scholars.

Join the Freedom's Future Campaign

Through the Freedom's Future Campaign, donors make a direct difference in the lives of NGS Scholars.

Donate