Full Circle Home
The families and spouses of deployed military carry a lot throughout the year while their spouse is away, but perhaps most especially during the holidays. These spouses carry the load of two in maintaining their household and caring for children, in addition to the challenges of missing a loved one. Full Circle Home assists deployed military members to send a special package to their loved ones back home. Check out their website here: www.fullcirclehome.org
Operation Christmas Spirit
Similarly, Operation Christmas Spirit brings together a number of ways to support military families. Their website suggests specific amounts and gift cards to donate to treat military members and their families to special activities such as a trip to the movies or dinner. You can even adopt a full family for the holidays, providing funds for gifts, meals, and groceries. We especially like their idea of hosting a Christmas party and asking guests to bring gift cards for donation in lieu of a hostess gift. For additional ideas and for information to get involved or make a donation, visit their website: www.operationhelpahero.org/operation-christmas-spirit.html
Operation Homefront
Operation Homefront is an amazing group that assists military families in a number of ways. Perhaps most inspiring are their programs to get returning military into stable mortgage-free housing through their program Homes on the Homefront. Operation Homefront also assists with requests for financial assistance and filling backpacks for military children at the beginning of each school year. During the holidays, Operation Homefront provides hot holidays meals, and last year, provided meals for almost 10,000 families. This organization also hosts a toy drive for the children of military families. Find them here: www.operationhomefront.org/holidaymeals