The New York City-based Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund (IFHF) has announced a a four-year, $17 million commitment from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation in Austin, Texas.

IFHF provides grants of $5,000 and $11,000 to each dependent child and spouse of U.S. or U.K. armed service members who were killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

To date, more than one thousand children have suffered the loss of a parent in the two operations. The Children of Fallen Heroes grant, exemplifying the foundation's focus on improving the lives of children, will pay specifically for grants to children. The foundation will make a first payment of nearly $5 million to IFHF in December, and additional payments will be made over the course of four years, for a total of approximately $17 million.

"We all mourn the loss of these soldiers who have given the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty," said Susan Dell, co-founder of the foundation. "These children feel the loss of their parents — their personal heroes — every day. We hope that our grant to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund will honor their parents' memories and foster future success in these children."