loanDepot’s commitment to the veteran community is strong, and in the spirit of the season the nation’s second largest nonbank retail lender will donate $50,000 to support War Heroes on Water (WHOW). Embarking on its fifth year, WHOW, created by loanDepot Founder and CEO Anthony Hsieh, plans to host 125 veterans at its annual tournament and support hundreds more throughout the year via therapeutic services provided by its charitable partner, Freedom Alliance.

“We created the WHOW tournament to help our nation’s heroes, our combat-wounded veterans, heal from the physical and emotional wounds of the battlefield,” said Hsieh. “This event, as well as the year-round services our fundraising supports, enables these brave men and women to forge meaningful connections with one another and the entire WHOW family, which is absolutely critical as they re-enter civilian life.”

Today’s donation is in addition to a recent $25,000 donation made on Veterans Day in remembrance of Josh Miles. The beloved WHOW family member and director of military and charitable programs for the tournament’s 501(c)3 partner, Freedom Alliance, tragically passed away this fall. In his honor, the tournament also established the “Josh Miles Award,” a perpetual award designed to keep the spirit of the beloved colleague and fellow brother in arms alive. 

Over the course of 2021, the War Heroes on Water tournament raised a record-setting $1.4M, which directly supports the tournament but also helps provide year-round services through Freedom Alliance. Freedom Alliance is dedicated to the rehabilitation of wounded service members, combat veterans and military families. Each year Freedom Alliance provides therapeutic services for thousands of veterans, as well as scholarships for the children of fallen or combat-wounded servicemen and women.

“Our partnership with WHOW is unique and invaluable,” said Freedom Alliance President Tom Kilgannon. “Together, we are bringing much-needed support to an underserved community and equally important, expanding our outreach so that we can ensure those in urgent need have awareness of, and accessibility to, essential therapeutic services.”

The $50,000 donation to WHOW is one of five planned this week by loanDepot to support those who are most vulnerable during the holiday season in the communities where its employees live and work, and beyond. loanDepot will also donate to Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Orange Coast, Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, United Cerebral Palsy of Orange County, and Free Wheelchair Mission for a total combined donation of $250,000.