How Employee-Driven Philanthropy Creates Stability for Military Children

RALEIGH, NC – July 09, 2026 – The CAPTRUST Community Foundation (CCF), an employee-run philanthropic organization, has named the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) its 2026 Charity of Choice, awarding the nonprofit a transformative $100,000 grant. The funds are designated to expand a critical peer-to-peer support program for military-connected students across North Carolina, providing a powerful example of how strategic corporate giving can address deeply rooted societal challenges.

In addition to the main grant, the foundation also awarded $25,000 National Partnership Grants to five other nonprofits, including BetterALife, Camp Twin Lakes, Children's Assistive Technology Service, GirlUp GVL, and Lucky Orphans Horse Rescue, demonstrating a broad commitment to enriching the lives of children through diverse avenues of support.

The Foundational Need for Stability

For the children of military service members, life is often defined by transition. While their parents serve the nation, these young citizens navigate a unique set of challenges characterized by constant change. Research shows a military-connected child moves an average of six to nine times during their K-12 education—three times more often than their civilian peers. Each move brings a new school, new teachers, new social circles, and the logistical nightmare of mismatched curricula and credit transfers.

This perpetual motion can create significant academic and emotional strain, leading to learning gaps and feelings of isolation. It is this gap that the Military Child Education Coalition, founded in 1998, has dedicated itself to bridging. The $100,000 grant will directly fuel the expansion of its flagship Student 2 Student® (S2S) program in North Carolina. S2S is a student-led, faculty-advised initiative that trains students to establish and sustain a welcoming and supportive environment for their peers, easing the difficult transitions for both military-connected and civilian students alike.

“Being selected as CAPTRUST Community Foundation's 2026 Charity of Choice is a tremendous honor and a meaningful investment in the military-connected students we serve every day,” said Mary Bier, president and CEO of MCEC. “This grant will allow us to expand our Student 2 Student program across North Carolina, bringing a student-led model to more schools and more families who need it. For children who move an average of six to nine times during their K-12 years, programs like S2S are not supplemental; they are foundational.”

A Blueprint for Corporate Impact

Behind this significant grant is a unique model of corporate philanthropy that redefines employee engagement. The CAPTRUST Community Foundation was established in 2007 not as a top-down corporate mandate, but as an employee-driven initiative. Its funding is primarily sourced from voluntary payroll deductions from CAPTRUST employees, which the company then matches. This structure transforms corporate social responsibility from a line item into a shared cultural value.

What began with just $5,000 in its inaugural year has blossomed into a formidable philanthropic force. To date, the CCF has awarded over $10 million to charities that help children. In 2025 alone, the foundation distributed over $1.8 million across 255 grants. This model resonates with a growing trend where employees seek purpose and community impact through their work. Industry studies show that a vast majority of employees consider it important to work for a company engaged in philanthropy, often leading to higher satisfaction and longer tenures.

“Military Child Education Coalition is making a meaningful impact in communities with a strong military presence, including here in North Carolina,” said Heather Shanahan, CCF president and a senior director at CAPTRUST. “Their approach supports not just students, but the full network around them, and we are proud to partner with an organization advancing opportunities for military-connected children and families.” Shanahan’s dual role, leading both the foundation and the firm’s endowments and foundations practice, signals a deep integration of philanthropic strategy and professional expertise.

Expanding the Ripple Effect

While the MCEC partnership represents the CCF’s flagship investment for 2026, the five additional $25,000 grants highlight the foundation’s commitment to addressing a wide spectrum of children’s needs. The National Partnership Grants support a diverse portfolio of organizations, each making a profound impact in its respective field.

BetterALife in Virginia, for instance, will use its funds to combat child hunger and poverty, providing thousands of weekend food bags and hot meals to children in its community. In South Carolina, GirlUp GVL will bolster its mentorship and leadership programs, which have successfully guided 100% of their senior participants toward high school graduation and higher education. Meanwhile, Lucky Orphans Horse Rescue in New York will leverage its grant to support its mission of “People Helping Horses Heal People,” providing equine-assisted therapy to at-risk youth and veterans.

These grants, though smaller in scale, are vital injections of capital for organizations delivering essential, on-the-ground services. They underscore the power of the CCF’s collective funding model, where thousands of individual employee contributions are pooled and amplified to create a wide-ranging, national impact.

The investment in MCEC's S2S program in North Carolina is a powerful testament to this model. The grant doesn't just fund a program; it empowers students to build a lasting culture of empathy and support within their own schools. It ensures that when a new student walks into the cafeteria, they see a friendly face from the S2S team ready to welcome them. This simple act of connection, made possible by the collective contributions of hundreds of employees and a corporate commitment to matching them, is a clear and compelling demonstration of how strategic changes truly improve lives.