I’m EXHAUSTED. Not a worn-out exhausted but a refreshed and invigorated exhausted. It’s the best tired I’ve ever felt. Let me tell you why. Today in six locations across the country Operation Homefront gave away toys and books for nearly 10,000 military kids through the generous support of Walmart. Spouses near Fort Bragg, N.C.; Fort Bliss and Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Campbell, Ky.; Fort Stewart, Ga.; and Camp Pendleton, Calif., entered a winter wonderland created especially for them. They were able to choose 3 toys and 1 book for each of their kids.
I was inspired by some of the stories I heard from the military families. Despite the miles that separate them, they still manage to stay close not just this holiday season, but throughout the deployments that are getting longer and more frequent.
An event like this means so much to our military families. With one parent deployed, recently returning or preparing to deploy, the families are stressed, and many are struggling. And with the president’s announcement this week about increased troop deployments to Afghanistan, they’re facing the prospect of more repeat deployments down the line. Some families are now separating for the ninth, 10th and 11th time in service to our country. The uncertain economy and rising unemployment rate has hit our military families hard. It’s a common misconception that military families are recession-proof. In reality, spouses get laid off, bills pile up and houses fall into foreclosure just like they do in the civilian community.
That’s why Operation Homefront is busier than we’ve ever been providing emergency and morale assistance to troops, families and wounded warriors when they return home. We’ve seen a year-over year 86% increase in the number of requests for food assistance. Giving away these toys means the thousands of families we helped today can use their scarce resources on the more basic needs while still ensuring a good holiday for their kids.
I am in awe of how resilient our military children are. I can remember when my brother’s wife deployed to Iraq. He was retired from the military and working in Russia at the time. My niece, then 8 or 9, stayed with my mother during the summer while both parents were gone. She would faithfully watch the news in the hope of catching a glimpse of her mother. That was a hard time for all of us, but her pain was palpable.
I think about how the adults voluntarily chose to make these sacrifices, but the children simply follow their parents. They grow up worldly, independent and self-reliant. They also understand at a basic level what it means to sacrifice for our great country. Anything we can do to help make their lives just a little bit easier is worth a day or two of my exhaustion.
It is these times when the human spirit shines in the face of uncertainty. This toy shop isn’t just about brightly colored toys awaiting happy children on Christmas, but something bigger. It is about connecting with all that’s good in ourselves and sharing that with others.
Today was about giving something that is immeasurable, something that can only be captured by the moment of handing a toy to a military spouse and sharing a moment of gratefulness and compassion. We’re also grateful to the many volunteers who pulled together to make this event a great success, especially our volunteers from Walmart, Sam’s Clubs, and the American Red Cross.
For those of us here at Operation Homefront, Christmas came early this year.
Keep coming back to hear about the other amazing things we’re doing for military families this holiday season and how you can help.