Arlington, VA, July 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stephen and Christine Schwarzman donated one of the largest gifts to date to the USO’s European Expansion & Family Support Campaign to help the organization continue to innovate and expand its impact throughout Germany, Poland, Romania as well as Finland to Bulgaria and other countries across Europe. Throughout 2023, the USO needed to expand its operations in the region to meet the needs of all service members and their families. With the war in Ukraine now in its third year, there are still tens of thousands of U.S. service members either deployed or permanently stationed in Europe.

Mr. Schwarzman is the Chairman, CEO and Co-founder of Blackstone, one of the world’s leading investment firms. In the last decade, Blackstone portfolio companies have hired over 100,000 veterans, veteran spouses and caregivers.

“We were proud to support service members and their families in Europe with this gift to the USO,” said Stephen and Christine Schwarzman. “These men and women currently serving deserve our utmost gratitude. Anything we can do to make their time spent overseas more comfortable is an honor for us.”

When service members are newly deployed or find themselves in remote duty stations, they know they can always count on the USO. Because of generous donors, like Stephen and Christine Schwarzman, the USO was able to increase its footprint at a rapid speed in Europe. The USO is the only nonprofit organization uniquely positioned to deliver scalable impact to the people serving in the military.

Within the very first days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the USO was there, providing deployed service members hot meals, care packages and more. As the need continued to grow for the U.S. military to be in the region in 2023, the USO swiftly expanded its support in Eastern Europe across 2,000 miles north to south — including areas and countries never before served by the USO. 

In 2023, the USO opened four new staffed Centers in the region. In addition, when some deployment locations are deemed unsafe or too isolated for civilian USO staff members to operate a center full-time, the USO establishes unstaffed centers -- seven new unstaffed Centers also opened in the region last year.

At the September 2023 ribbon-cutting event for the opening of the temporary USO Center at Bemowo Piskie Training Area in Poland, USO Europe, Middle East and Africa Regional Vice President Grant McCormick said, “This campaign is critical to the execution of our expansion plan, and the generosity of Stephen and Christine Schwarzman lays the foundation for a strong presence of support for the people serving our nation in this region – no matter the mission. This new center standing here is a significant symbol, a physical declaration that signals America’s resolve and support for those serving overseas.”

From deploying to unfamiliar places to being separated from their loved ones for prolonged periods of time, the people serving in our nation’s military selflessly put their mission above all else. Looking forward, the USO will continue to ensure that service members in Eastern Europe and their families back home receive the support they need for as long as it takes. It is through generous supporters of the USO, like Stephen and Christine Schwarzman, that this transformational impact on the well-being of service members in the region is possible. We’re with them — always. 

About the USO:
The USO is the leading nonprofit dedicated to the well-being of all people serving in the U.S. military and their families. Since 1941, the USO has been by the side of service members throughout their military service. Impactful support is provided through our 250+ locations around the world, a robust care package delivery program, global entertainment, military spouse and youth programming, and much more, all made possible by dedicated donors, corporate partners, volunteers and staff. To learn more and support our critical mission around the globe, please visit USO.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram and LinkedIn. 

Jennifer Passey
USO
jpassey@uso.org