Although many people who make significant contributions to veterans have a military background, such was not the case for Phillip Green. He has not served himself, but after being a successful businessman he decided he needed to give back. So Green, his wife and several friends recently donated $1.1 million to veterans' causes, The Christian Science Monitor reports.
While a substantial initial donation, Green does not want to stop there. He and the other donors hope to pledge as much as $30 million in the coming years. He was encouraged to donate largely as a way to demonstrate his appreciation for the sacrifice servicemembers and military families make. He has also seen the unique medical needs of some vets, something which will be especially important in the coming years.
"The fact is that the tax revenue will not be enough to support the need among today’s veterans generated by the wars of the past decade," he told the newspaper.
While the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) does provide healthcare, the costs will likely skyrocket in the coming years. According to the Congressional Budget Office, by 2020, the money needed by the VA to treat veterans would sit at about $85 billion, up from $69 billion in 2010.