It's time to educate your peers and the community at large about the special needs of families and children undergoing challenging life events. It is important we recognize the sacrifices made not only by our deployed forces but by their families as well.
Along with the sacrifice of having a parent away in service for months at a time, military children face many obstacles unique to their situation, such as frequently being uprooted from school, saying goodbye to friends and starting all over again. An issue facing military youth and families is the lack of community awareness of the unique challenges faced by military kids. This lack of understanding by the general public can make military youth feel isolated and misunderstood. These issues are particularly important for youth from National Guard and Reserve families who may not have access to traditional military support systems.
Join us in supporting and applauding our military children and families for the daily sacrifices they make and challenges they overcome. We invite you -- every individual, family, group, business and community in Louisiana -- to learn more about and support military children in your neighborhood. The event starts with YOU. Start the wheels in motion today.
Louisiana is working together through a program called Operation: Military Kids. Help us help kids in your backyard through your local LSU AgCenter 4-H office. Information and training are available.
Below are a few ideas and websites dedicated to supporting military children and families and service members. Be inspired by the suggestions, and get your creativity flowing. However you choose to celebrate, remember to have fun and share your pride in the great work you do! And don’t forget to tell us about your events. Email Tanya Giroir with your activities so we can share them to inspire others.
Ideas to get involved:
Sponsor a HERO PACK campaign: HERO Packs are OMK knapsacks filled with a variety of items and presented to Louisiana military youth as a "Thank You" for the sacrifices that they make while their parents are deployed. Hero Packs, a youth-led and adult-supported project, contain a variety of items to provide children with fun activities and ways to stay connected to their deployed parents. In addition, information is provided to parents regarding local community support programs for children and families. A detailed HERO Pack Guide can be found on the LSU AgCenter website. Contact us to get started today.
Volunteer for a day camp or weekend adventure: Log on to register for one of many camping opportunities available throughout our state. Discover upcoming camping opportunities on the OMK www.lsuagcenter.com website. Overnight chaperone training is available to update your skills if needed.
Sponsor a letter-writing campaign: Write letters of appreciation to children and to their deployed family members thanking them for their service and sacrifices for our country. The letters you write are placed in each Hero Pack to let military kids know you care.
Host a letter-writing party: Contact a few friends and extended family members to ask if they would write to a military child or soldier.
Collect huggables or books: Encourage your local community to sponsor a “huggable” stuffed-animal or book drive. Your local 4-H Club, Boys & Girls Club, American Legion post, school clubs, veterans' organizations and local church groups can help create and distribute Hero Packs to your local military children. Guides are available.
Call your local organizations such as the Rotary Club, Kiwanis, church groups and women’s clubs and offer to give a short talk at a luncheon or meeting about children’s issues within your organization. Information to share is available about supporting military kids and families in your own backyard.
Military One Source is the Defense Department’s "one stop" place to go whenever service members and/or their family members need assistance of any kind. Family members incl
ude parents, siblings, spouses and their children: 24/7 and 365 days a year 1-800-342-9647.
LSU AgCenter - 4-H
4-H Military Partnerships
Please contact any state OMK team member or Tanya Giroir. Items such as stationary, stamps, journals and pens, photo albums and disposable cameras are always welcome.
Thanks for sharing your successes. E-mail Tanya Giroir with your military child activities so we can share them to inspire others. Your story and photos will be posted on our national and state websites.
Thanks for taking a moment out of your day to show support for our deployed sons and daughters, moms and dads, and their families. Wear a yellow ribbon of support every day of the year.