Little Patriots Embraced (LPE) is a nonprofit that was started to strengthen the lives of military children and their families. Now, the founder of LPE, Carol Watanabe, and her tech team has branched out to start the free Defenders Gateway app, meant to support first responders, military, veterans, and their families.
Carol Watanabe has a background in business. She retired from a successful marketing company nineteen years ago. After retiring, Carol dedicated her time raising her three children, working part time in the family business, and volunteering at the military children’s charity that she founded in 2004, Little Patriots Embraced.
The all-volunteer organization serves military children and their families. Since it’s inception, about 95,000 children have been served through their programs.
Carol continues today as Executive Director for LPE, keeping the charity mission alive through her volunteer role. When asked how she keeps motivated to continue, Carol stated a quote from an unknown author, “Volunteers do not get paid…not because they are worthless, but because they are Priceless!”
Carol has a long history of supporting and serving Veterans families. In late 2017, she was in search of a way to expand assistance for young military families. Carol came out of retirement in 2018 and started a new company,
Defenders Gateway.
With her technology team, Carol created version 1 of the
Defenders Gateway App, released on both the Apple Store and Google Play Store in 2018. With plans to expand this project, the website opened and work began on version 2.
The
Defenders Gateway App is part of The Defenders Network, a national network consisting of Defenders, including all family members, and Business Supporter Members, those that honor and support our Defenders.
The Defenders Gateway App is available exclusively for Defenders and their family members including military, veterans, law enforcement, firefighters, EMTs, dispatch, and families of fallen heroes. In the US, this is approximately 100 million people who are eligible to join The Defenders Network through the Defenders Gateway App and website.
All members are vetted through the Defenders Gateway verification system at download: No stolen honor.
Carol and the tech team created
Defenders Gateway Virtual ID (VID) which is currently being utilized by members exclusively on the Defenders Gateway App. The VID eliminates the need to show an ID at any of the business locations on the app offering a discount or other special offer. Carol has a patent pending on the VID technology.
The Defenders Gateway App lists business member locations, websites, business apps, help resources, jobs listings, job boards, nonprofits (including those Defenders Gateway is committed to support), health & wellness listings, business and career opportunities, a Kids Corner, Entertainment section, and so much more!
And there is even more functionality planned with Version 3! This national resource hub is Free for our Nation’s Defenders and their families.
Carol is currently working with her team to bring on Defender Members to this free network. They can join by downloading the Defenders Gateway App. The company is also currently working to bring on more Business Members. Approved businesses pay an annual member listing fee, which supports the platform, and the selected nonprofits on the app.
When asked what’s next, Carol explained that her desire to continue serving is strong. She quoted another unknown author, saying, “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give. It’s easy to make a dollar. It’s a lot tougher to make a difference.”
