OUR BRAVE WARRIORS ARE STILL DEPLOYING DESPITE COVID-19. THEREFORE, OUR MISSION NEVER STOPS. WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW MORE THAN EVER. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO THOSE WHO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THESE FAMILIES.
Upcoming Events
Join us on May 1, 2021 for our 5-Year Celebration of Life and Paddle Out event in Coronado, CA. Check out our website and social media for updates!


SAVE THE DATE: Celebration of Life
5 Years - Coronado, CA
May 1, 2021

Medal of Honor Day Was
March 25, 2021

We remember this special day and
honor those that have made great sacrifices for our great nation.
SEAL Family Testimonials
Below are a few testimonials from our SEAL families.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful and very special place. It is a true sanctuary and great for the soul. Thank you for all that you do for our community.

-Navy SEAL & SEAL Wife

Hi! This place is amazing. From the views to the bath to the rocks. It's absolutely incredible. Thank you so, so, so, so much!

-Navy SEAL Daughter
Foundation News
April Chuck Heavy Give Away
The C4 Bone Shaka Puff Jacket
This month we are giving away The C4 BONE SHAKA Puff Jacket. The plush interior makes this perfect for all seasons. The Puff is ready and willing for all adventures. 
  • Water & wind resistant 100% Nylon Exterior Shell
  • 60 gm Hyper-Loft poly fill insulation
  • 100% polyester lining
  • #5 reverse coil zippers at chest and pockets
  • Packable pocket with #3 reverse coil zipper
  • Capped elastic sleeve cuff
  • Locker loop at wearers back neck
  • Bungee toggle at wearers right side waist
  • Internal chest pocket

Rules to play are the same as always:
  • Must follow @c4foundation and @urturt on Instagram!
  • Must be an active monthly subscriber to the "Chuck Heavy" Campaign via our website
  • Must have a US mailing address

Winner will be announced at the end of the month via our Instagram account!!
"Build Upon The Good" Podcast
Featuring Charles Keating, III
and
Brooke Keating
Build Upon The Good (with Kean) podcast featured an interview with C4's dad, Charlie 3 and widow, Brooke.

Kean stated, "I was extremely moved by this episode because Charlie and the C4 Foundation's story is so powerful and is a great example of Building Upon the Good. We can never repay the sacrifices of our fallen warriors and their families, but we CAN honor them by living large... or "Chuck Heavy" as the family refers to it."
Introducing Jennifer Cooper as
C4 Foundation's Program Director
Jennifer Cooper holds a Master of Science in Psychology and has twenty-four years of experience developing and implementing programs in the fields of counseling, education, and health. Jennifer has been married to an active duty SEAL for over twenty years and considers this a great benefit in understanding the needs of the Naval Special Warfare Community.

After receiving her master’s degree, Jennifer worked as an assessment counselor in the Bay City School District providing support and guidance for students with special needs. When her husband was transferred back to Coronado, Jennifer incorporated her love of fitness and nutrition with her skill as a counselor and started Personalized Fitness. She has designed motivational workout regimens and nutrition programs for everyone from professional athletes and active duty SEALs to novice fitness enthusiasts. Personalized Fitness was transported out to Kodiak, Alaska when Jennifer’s husband took a job at the training command on the island. While in Kodiak, she quickly recognized that the local school system could benefit from an updated fitness and nutrition program. Jennifer received a grant from the State of Alaska to develop programs for Kodiak Island Schools instructing students and staff in recommended fitness and health guidelines. When her husband was once again transferred back to a duty station in Coronado, Jennifer continued her work in health and fitness programming and also worked part time in San Diego area schools as a substitute teacher.

Two years ago, Jennifer joined the C4 Foundation as a board member where she has been assisting Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Glenn Fox, in the execution and implementation of his neuroscience-based programs, F.R.O.G. at the C4 Ranch. 
Lessons From The C4 Ranch
Transitions
By Jennifer Cooper, MS Psychology,
C4's Director of Programs
One morning while speaking about our C4 Programs with our Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Glenn Fox, he brought up the topic of transitions... that word stuck with me the rest of the day. It dawned on me at that moment that if there was a theme for SEAL family life, it could be defined by the word "Transitions." SEAL families are quite familiar with transitions. In fact, most of military life is full of them. There are assignments to the next duty station, shifts between work-up to deployment, adjustments returning home from deployment to a whole new job, and a constant switch between dual parents and single parent households. It is a never-ending cycle. As a result of endless maneuvering, our SEAL families are in constant flux both physically and emotionally.  

Our mission statement defines our goal perfectly, “To Strengthen and Preserve NAVY SEAL Families”. You hear this phrase a lot here at the C4 Foundation. Within that objective of “Preserving the Family” fits the task of aiding the families through these endless transitions in military life through the creation of a neuroscience-based program that fosters communication, gratitude, and resiliency in the SEAL family unit. Dr. Glenn Fox has built a robust and enduring program that equips SEAL families with tools to navigate these ever-present and often difficult changes. The programs take place at a 560-acre property in northeast San Diego County, aptly named the C4 Ranch. Over the past two and a half years we have hosted hundreds of SEALs and their families, and we intend to host over a thousand annually. Our plan is to provide a sanctuary to combat the constant stress that is placed on our SEAL families. We are grateful to everyone who supports our mission, both past and present.

Written By: Jennifer Cooper, MS Psychology, C4 Foundation's Director of Programs
Light Touch
By Dr. Glenn Fox, PhD
C4 Foundation's Chief SciencOfficer
The other day when I was washing my hands (for the billionth time), I noticed something strange: I was washing my hands with crazy amounts of pressure and tension. Without trying, I was mashing my soapy hands together with the force to crush a coconut. My hands, which in the past 12 months have comforted my wife through childbirth and held my son for the first time, made countless bottles, typed thousands of emails and thanklessly written to-do lists and meeting notes, were now being mashed together as if they were out to get me. Seeing this, and relaxing the tension, led to a great realization.

Later, when I was in the workshop assembling a bookshelf, I was drilling pilot holes and I noticed the same thing. The drill bit kept slipping and at first I blamed my drill, but soon I realized again that I was muscling down on this poor 1/8th drill bit with every ounce of energy I could muster. Once I noticed that, I relaxed my grip, lowered my shoulders, and the bit cut effortlessly. The extra effort I was applying was making it that much harder to achieve what I needed.

Becoming aware of this stress and tension has now become a great tool for relaxation. In the workshop especially, I focus on moving my hands and leveraging the tools with just the right force for the job, and never more tension than needed. This is why for me, and for the C4 programs, creativity and building are such great teachers. We can observe our behavior outside of our normal tasks and learn about how we are doing internally. I

It was a revelation to me to see how I was being impatient in all sorts of things, from building the bookshelf, but also in how I was washing my hands, doing dishes, steering the car, etc. Simply noticing how much unnecessary tension I was imparting into these tasks showed me the value of taking a breath and relaxing my grip, and just how much better everything turned out once I did so.

Try this: take out a piece of paper and a pen, and write the words, “Thank you for …" and then fill-in three or four things. While you do so, pay very special attention to how much force you’re applying to the pen and really focus on deep breaths and applying only as much force as needed. You’ll probably find that filling in that gratitude list is easier and more enjoyable, and notice how the tension may even make it easier or harder to feel gratitude. Noticing the extra force and tension is often a necessary step to relaxing and returning to the present moment. 

We hope that practicing these little things can help everyone stay connected, and show us how something we so often take for granted — our touch — can affect everything from the tone of our voice, the nature of our communications, and also provide us a window into immediate relaxation and connection. You’ll be surprised how much more is possible with a light touch.

Written By: Glenn R. Fox, PhD
Thank You
Bashas, AJ's & Food City Grocery Stores
 Thank You to Arizona-based Bashas’, AJ's, and Food City Grocery Stores for featuring The C4 Foundation as one of their May Military Month Charities!
Customers will have the opportunity
to donate to The C4 Foundation
when they check out at the register!

C4 Foundation Leadership
The C4 Foundation is a 501C3 national non-profit charitable organization. Tax-ID: 82-2075362. It is a non-federal entity and is not party of the Department of Defense or any of its components.
Tax-ID: 82-2075362