Stiefel Freethought Foundation Matching Challenge
The Stiefel Freethought Foundation has expanded its support of freethinkers in the military by offering a $50,000 challenge to the Military Association of Atheists & Freethinkers. Donations from current military and veterans to MAAF will be matched dollar-for-dollar for a limited time. Now is the time to give. Your support is needed and makes a significant difference in improving the lives of atheists & humanists in the military. Through the generosity of the Stiefel Freethought Foundation, you can double the impact of your giving.
In November of 2010, MAAF relocated to Washington, DC as the first step in a major re-launch of MAAF. Located near Congress, the Pentagon, other supporting non-profit organizations, and a large military community, MAAF has the access to bring the perspectives and needs of the nontheist community directly to military and civilian leaders.
With your support, MAAF can be funded to continue to advocate for and support atheists, agnostics, freethinkers, humanists, and other nontheists in the military. Funding allows for for the establishment of new groups like ones already started at the US Military Academy and US Naval Academy and the support of existing groups like the one at the US Air Force Academy. More care packages with food, study materials, and thank-you letters can go out to service members around the world (as part of our collaboration with the Richard Dawkins Foundation). Faith-based leadership has stopped and Biblical memorials have been removed based on MAAF intervention with local military leadership. For the first time, the military is beginning to recognize that atheists truly are in foxholes. Our efforts to reform the chaplaincy and endorse the first humanist chaplains for military drew a front page story in the New York Times as well as international media including Canada, Britain, and Germany. Please consider a donation if you want to see this international attention and real change continue.
The Stiefel Freethought Foundation has shown confidence and generosity in providing this $50,000 matching challenge. I hope others will give what they can as well. This is a rallying call to the rest of the freethought community. Take time today to show your support – instructions for checks, online donations, or other types of gifts are available at www.militaryatheists.org/join.html.
The Stiefel Freethought Foundation is a funding organization promoting the philosophy that opinions should be formed on the basis of science, logic, and reason and should not be influenced by authority, tradition, or any other dogma. The Foundation and its President, Todd Stiefel, have given over $3 million to various Freethought charities, including the Secular Coalition for America, the Secular Student Alliance, and a recent pledge in support of the Rock Beyond Belief event at Fort Bragg.