The DEA maintains a charitable fund — the DEA Widows' and Children's Fund — to tend to the health and financial needs of DEA members, their spouses, and children. One of the Fund's primary functions is providing health benefits and assistance with excessive medical bills. Currently, 68 families of deceased NYPD detectives have their medical premiums covered by the Fund.

Additionally, when any active DEA member dies, the DEA provides a $10,000 funeral expense to the detective's family, and then provides full DEA health benefits to the surviving spouse and children until the youngest child reaches the age of 19 (or 23 if a fulltime college student).

The DEA Widows' and Children's Fund was also a conduit for 9/11 police and fire relief, and the DEA collected and distributed over 1.2 million dollars to the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice when the World Trade Center was attacked and destroyed.

The DEA maintains a number of trust funds on behalf of the children of deceased members:

When two of our undercover detectives, James Nemorin and Rodney Andrews, were shot and killed on Staten Island on March 10, 2003, the DEA Widows' and Children's Fund immediately established the March 10th Undercover Fund, a scholarship fund for the five children they left behind. This fund will assist with the educational needs of the children of these two courageous police detectives.

With the tragic loss of Detectives Patrick Rafferty and Robert Parker, killed in the line of duty on September 10, 2004, the DEA similarly set up funds for the future needs of their families.

The Carrington Fund was established for the benefit of Niya Carrington, the young daughter of NYPD Detective Sean Carrington, who was shot and killed in the line of duty on January 19, 1998. The fund is set up to help provide for Niya's higher education.

The Manuel Jimenez Scholarship Trust was established to ensure financial aid for the higher education of the three children of Detective Manuel Jimenez, who died of cancer on February 14, 2001.

Most recently, the DEA has set up trust funds for the families of three of our members, including: the two young daughters of Det. Dillon Stewart, shot and killed in the line of duty on November 28, 2005; Tyler Ann Zadroga, the young daughter of widower Det. James Zadroga, who passed away in January of 2006 of illnesses related to his work on the rescue and recovery efforts resulting from the World Trade Center attacks; and the family of Det. Richard DeGaetano, who died of cancer on July 18, 2006 after living 15 years with a bullet in his skull from a 1992 shooting.

Financial support for the DEA Widows' and Children's Fund is always gratefully accepted. The fund has no overhead, as all labor, office space, and expenses associated with operating it are under the auspices of the DEA.

The Fund is financed through the sale of DEA promotional items, as well as through donations from other foundations, corporations, individual civilian supporters, and donations made by members of the law enforcement community, including the DEA's own generous membership.

City workers can become bi-weekly supporters of the DEA's Widows' and Children's Fund through payroll deduction with the Combined Municipal Campaign (CMC). Donations can be as small as one dollar ($1.00) per payday. The DEA Widows' and Children's Fund's CMC code number is 1979.

The DEA Widows' and Children's Fund can also accept select product donations that can be either raffled off for the Fund or can be distributed to children at one of the many events handled by the DEA's Entertainment or Public Relations Committees.

The Fund is a 501(c)(3) charity and all donations to the Fund are tax-deductible. Donations can be earmarked specifically for any of the above-mentioned trusts or simply sent to the Fund in general by writing a check or money order payable to —

To all those who have given so generously to this Fund throughout the years, we sincerely thank you.