Jeb Bush donates $10,000 to help families of slain NYPD officers

Jeb Bush and his wife Columba Bush have donated $10,000 to an effort to close out the remaining mortgage payments for the families of two NYPD police officers fatally shot in their patrol car last month.

The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation set a fundraising goal of $800,000 by New Year's Day to help relieve the families of slain New York City policemen Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos. In a Facebook post, the foundation said the Bushes' donation Tuesday had brought them to $525,000.

"We are greatly appreciative of the Bush's generous contribution," the post read. "Not only do we want to purchase the two homes so that the officers' families will have peace of mind in the new year, but we believe this will show them how deeply Americans honor the heroism and sacrifice of their loved ones."

Bush has made headlines in recent days. On Wednesday, the last day of 2014, the former Florida governor stepped down from his remaining nonprofit and business board memberships. The departures come after Bush's announcement that he's actively exploring a 2016 presidential bid.