Give Thanks to Military Families
Joan DiPiero
By Joan DiPiero
Community Engagement Coordinator
November is filled with opportunities to give thanks. Not only do we celebrate the bounty of a good harvest and the love of family and friends, but as a country we stop to give special thanks to veterans for their service. Whether in war or during peacetime, American men and women answer the call, serve the greater good and return to their communities to continue their mission at home.
When deployed, troops depend on their military families to provide a link to that home. Through phone calls, texts, videos and care packages, families engage and support troops. When one person enlists, he or she carries with them an entire entourage of spouses, parents, siblings and friends. Military families often spend time on the road, moving from base to base. Many families deal with the absence of a father or mother for months at a time or may go an entire year without seeing a brother or sister at the family table.
This November, we celebrate National Veterans and Military Families Month, paying tribute to those who serve and those who support them. We recognize caregivers and their need to be connected. We appreciate the sacrifices partners and spouses make as temporary single parents or the loneliness children may feel when a parent or sibling is deployed.
But they are not alone, and you can be part of their support group. Many programs and services for military families exist in our community.
Blue Star Families is a local organization committed to strengthening military families by connecting them with their neighbors to create vibrant communities of mutual support. Their programs include peer-to-peer support, fighting food insecurity among military families and working with community partners to make transitions easier for kids.
COD Veterans Services helps military family members apply for scholarships and discover benefits that can be shared by parents and children attending college. Other services include employment and internship opportunities, tutoring assistance, career services and space on campus to connect and create a sense of community.
Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans provides a myriad of services, including Supportive Services for Veteran Families. This homeless prevention and rapid re-housing program helps low-income veterans and their families who are homeless or who are at imminent risk of becoming homeless. MSHV also supports the Freedom Commissary to meet the clothing, household, and basic needs of veterans and their families and the Veteran Employment Program to assist unemployed and under-employed veterans with gaining meaningful, long-term employment.
Operation Support Our Troops sends a little slice of home to deployed military in comfort and care packages stuffed with donations from the community. OSOT also raises funds to assist veterans and their families in their recovery from financial hardship and hosts healing seminars for families of the fallen.
The Road Home Program is dedicated to the mental health and wellness of veterans, service members, members of the National Guard, reservists, and families at no cost and regardless of discharge status.
To learn how you can help support military families and their loved ones, visit the links above or contact COD Veterans Services at veterans@cod.edu.
Looking for more ideas? Partner with COD Cares. Peruse volunteer opportunities on our website or share ideas via email.
Get involved
Reach out to COD’s Community Engagement at contactus@cod.edu.