GLOCK’s continual support of national organizations demonstrates its commitment to upholding our rights as citizens as well as supporting those who protect us. Every year, GLOCK extends financial support and more to those groups who share a common purpose. The company is a model for how to be a proactive, responsible leader in the shooting industry. Probably the most obvious support would be the financial donations GLOCK makes to various organizations. It’s hard to miss the presentations of those oversized checks, but that’s really just the tip of the iceberg.

Gaining Confidence

Traci Humphrey was a typical teenager going through a tough time. “I was self-conscious, felt like everyone who met me hated me … I didn’t like myself.” Fortunately for her, all that changed once she had the opportunity to attend Adventure Camp, a part of the NRA Whittington Center.

• RELATED STORY: West Point Wins SPP’s 2015 Collegiate National Championships

The Whittington Center is the most comprehensive shooting facility in America, and its Adventure Camp is aimed at giving kids ages 13 to 17 years old a chance to experience the joys of shooting. But it does much more than that—just ask Traci. The camp gave her more than just increased accuracy and proficiency—it helped shape her life with an incredible boost of confidence, a sense of responsibility and lifelong friends. After just two weeks of camp, she said, “My whole outlook on myself was changed. I felt good about myself. Every year that I return I come back with even more confidence.”

Adventure Camp made such an impact on her that she soon became a counselor: “I wanted to make an impact like those at camp had made on me.” Her enthusiasm for being a counselor and wanting to be even more involved led to her becoming the program director. To say that Adventure Camp has had a positive influence on Traci’s life is an understatement, and she is extremely grateful. “I can’t imagine my life never having gone to camp. And I am so thankful to the sponsors like GLOCK who make it possible.”

In 2015, GLOCK donated $50,000 to the NRA Whittington Center in addition to $15,000 to Adventure Camp. The donated funds pay for everything from food to fuel so that the center can operate and continue to offer opportunities like what Traci Humphrey experienced.

Scholastic Shooters

The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) also benefits from GLOCK’s generosity, as it received $25,000 in 2015. The SSSF is an organization that introduces young men and women to the shooting sports through team-based matches. GLOCK’s financial support is helping to foster the next generation of shooters by giving the SSSF the resources to continue offering programs like the Scholastic Pistol Program (SPP), which is designed to introduce competitive shooting to young men and women around the U.S.

Staff Sergeant Nathan Hevner is a volunteer coach for an SPP team at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He has seen his team grow and improve to the point of winning the SPP Nationals last season. GLOCK is a staunch supporter, and the West Point team definitely appreciates it, as they almost exclusively shoot GLOCKs. To further support the West Point team, GLOCK graciously offered to take the team’s old Gen2 and Gen3 pistols and replace them with brand-new Gen4s. This was an incredible gift that enabled the team to keep competing and winning.

NRA Support

The National Rifle Association is a huge organization with over 170 different programs. Donations made by companies like GLOCK make it possible for the NRA to continue to offer high-quality instruction and programs. In 2015, GLOCK donated $50,000 specifically to the NRA Law Enforcement Division, which offers firearms instructor development schools for multiple disciplines. The tuition for these courses is one of the lowest in the industry, and that is a direct result of donations from companies like GLOCK.

Besides its monetary donation, GLOCK also donated 30 pistols as prizes for the 2015 NRA National Police Shooting Championships. A large percentage of officers today carry GLOCK pistols as their duty weapons, and those who win a pistol at these competitions will have a dependable firearm as a backup or off-duty weapon. GLOCK has been a longtime supporter of the NRA and the National Police Shooting Championships, and through its support, GLOCK is making it possible for law enforcement officers to do their job well.

Veterans & Their Families

In 2015, GLOCK donated $100,000 to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF), marking a total of $1 million donated since the company began its support in 2005. The goal of the SOWF is to provide for the education of the children of special operations personnel who have lost their lives in service to their country. GLOCK Vice President Josh Dorsey said, “We honor the fallen by providing for those they leave behind.”

One of the SOWF scholarship recipients is Dalia Munoz. She lost her father, Army Specialist First Class Pedro Munoz, 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, in 2005, while he was deployed in Afghanistan. She has seen the benefit of this generous organization firsthand. Miss Munoz graduated from Davidson College in 2012 and now works as a student counselor at Meredith College in North Carolina. “This is certainly a financial donation, but it is representative of the heart and soul of GLOCK,” said retired U.S. Army Colonel Edwin Anderson, who is now part of the SOWF’s board of directors. “It’s a wonderful representation of what a corporation can be in giving back to this community.”

In another example of giving back, in 2015 GLOCK donated $50,000 to the Young Marines, a national non-profit youth education and service program for boys and girls. Its mission is to positively impact America’s future by providing quality youth programs that nurture and develop its members into citizens who live a responsible, healthy and drug-free lifestyle. GLOCK’s support of the Young Marines is paramount to the success it has. USMC Lieutenant Colonel Mike Kessler (retired) accepted the generous donation and said, “We are forever grateful to GLOCK for its continued support of the Young Marines and for its sponsorship of our National Leadership Academy. GLOCK continues to be a strong partner in our goal to strengthen the lives of America’s youth.”

Thin Blue Line

When a police officer is killed in the line of duty, those they leave behind struggle with how to cope. The Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) organization is dedicated to providing resources to help those affected rebuild their shattered lives, and in 2015, GLOCK donated $50,000 to help fund the invaluable programs and services C.O.P.S. offers.

One mother reflected on the impact of Kids Camp, just one of the C.O.P.S. programs, saying, “Kids Camp and all the different options helped us rebuild our lives. The reinforcement and connections made gave my son what he needed in order to face the next challenge.”

• RELATED STORY: A Look at GLOCK’s Blue Label Program For First Responders

The DEA Survivor’s Benefit Fund also helps those who have lost loved ones. GLOCK continued its support of this admirable organization by donating $30,000 in 2015. The fund’s director, Richard Crock, and the Loftus-Errthum family, who lost their father/husband, Special Agent Terrance P. Loftus, accepted the donation. In addition to providing for the family’s immediate needs, it also will help with future educational expenses.

In many cases, these opportunities are funded solely through grants and donations. By donating, GLOCK is proudly ensuring their ongoing existence.

This article was published in the GLOCK AUTOPISTOLS 2016 magazine. To see the rest of the issue, please visit Personaldefenseworld.com.