“Family Communication at the Frontlines”
Freedom Calls Foundation, Morristown, New Jersey

The Freedom Calls Foundation is pioneering a non-profit model of family communication during wartime over the Foundation's satellite network. Every month, the Foundation provides 2,000 enterprise-class videoconferences of milestone family events and more than 1 million minutes of telephone calls free of charge from Freedom Calls Centers in Iraq and Kuwait to families in the United States, England, Germany, Guam and Okinawa. The Foundation's videoconferences enable military families to share births, weddings, graduations, anniversaries, last goodbyes, and the weekly opportunity for face-to-face communication with deployed loved ones from their home computers. The Foundation's FACT program enables students, kindergarten to college, to videoconference from their classrooms with troops on the frontlines. The Foundation's telephone services save military families $4 million per year commercial telephone rates. Freedom Calls is a public charity funded entirely by donations from generous citizens, individual and corporate. For further information, contact John Harlow jharlow@freedomcalls.org

Operation Wounded Warrior was started by a small group of American Legion Riders after a plea for help from San Diego Naval Medical Center three years ago for comfort and hygiene items to help the troops who had been wounded in Iraq. After the first trip, the mission expanded to include family members who were at their bedside, often having taken leave from work or having to quit their job. The Legion Riders collect hygiene, comfort and personal items, and use monetary donations to purchase requested items and gift certificates. Each year, during the first week of October, a truck loaded with personal and comfort items is escorted by a cadre of Riders to Brook Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas, and its four Fisher Houses. For more information, contact Aaron Dean at adrugdoctor@gmail.com

Operation First Response, Inc., supports our nation’s wounded Warriors and their families with personal and financial needs. Services are provided from the onset of injury, throughout their recovery period and along their journey from military life into the civilian world. Financial aid varies as each case is based on individual needs ranging from rent, utilities, vehicle payments, groceries, clothing, and travel expenses. For more information, contact Peggy Baker at peggy@operationfirstresponse.org

“Parent and Child Resource Center”
Osan Parent Network, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea

Fun for kids, support for parents: Osan Parent Network provides services for families at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea. Osan Air Base is approximately 60 miles south of the DMZ, the most heavily fortified border in the world. Intense mission requirements as a result of the constant threat of war leave few resources available for family needs. OPN focuses on children six and under, Osan's most underserved population. Activities include daily playgroups, arts and crafts and other events, daily stroller walk/runs, a breastfeeding support group, a parenting support group, a communication network and family advocacy. For more information, contact Anna Daggett at annadagg@gmail.com

“The SHARE Initiative”
Shepherd Center, Atlanta, Georgia

The SHARE Initiative is a program assisting the rehabilitation, recovery, and often overlooked, yet essential, community re-entry care for soldiers who have sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and/or a spinal cord injury (SCI) while serving on active duty in Afghanistan or Iraq. Shepherd Center is the nation’s largest free-standing catastrophic care hospital devoted to research, medical care, rehabilitation, and advocacy for people with spinal cord injury and disease, acquired brain injury, Multiple Sclerosis, chronic pain, and other neuromuscular problems. Soldiers are referred to Shepherd Center by a military entity, a Humana Military Healthcare Services entity, a Veterans Affairs Medical Center, or are self-referred. For more information, contact Ms. Terran Cooper at terran_cooper@shepherd.org

“Snowball Express”
Snowball Express, Costa Mesa, California

Snowball Express provides hope and new memories for the children of service members who have died since 9/11. They provide an all expense gathering for these children to share new memories and experience happiness despite their loss. In 2006, nearly nine hundred children attended our event in Anaheim, CA. In 2007, the $3.5 million dollar (90% of which was donated goods/services) event provided over eleven hundred children an opportunity to share a weekend of fun and smiles thanks to the generosity of sponsors and donors. In 2008, nearly two thousand attendees are expected to meet December 16-20 in Anaheim for more fun. The event moves to the Dallas/Ft Worth, Texas in 2009 where it is expected nearly three thousand attendees will share new memories and establish friendships that will last a lifetime. For more information, contact Bill Mimiaga at info@snowballexpress.org

“Remote Warrior Care Program”
Madigan Foundation, Fort Lewis, Washington

The Madigan Foundation places wounded, injured and ill Warriors back into their hometowns to recuperate before being released from active military service or returned to full-duty. Remote Warriors enjoy the benefits of quality healthcare, a familiar/home environment in which to convalesce, technology enablers to foster social networks, and an opportunity for a community to express their appreciation for the Warrior's service in a time of war. One young wife said "I haven't told the children he's coming home yet because I simply can't believe it." For more information, contact Col Theresa S. Baker, USAF, MSC (Ret) at tbaker52@sprynet.com

“Family Assistance Program”
Armed Forces Foundation, Washington, District of Columbia

The Armed Forces Foundation’s Family Assistance program offers direct financial assistance to Service Members and their families to meet everyday needs. Needs range from utility bills to mortgage payments. In 2007, the Armed Forces Foundation assisted nearly 200 families in their time of need. The Armed Forces Foundation continues to support our troops and military families to alleviate financial burdens for active-duty and retired personnel, National Guard, Reserve components, and their loved ones. More information is available at www.armedforcesfoundation.org.

“Military Family Retreats”
Project New Hope, Annandale, Minnesota

Project New Hope hosts retreats for the families of soldiers struggling with reintegration after deployment. Some soldiers are adjusting to physical or mental disabilities sustained during combat. Most families are struggling with conflicting emotions: joy at being reunited and frustration with conflicts that arise as they try to reconnect, restore their relationships and adjust to new family roles. The goal is to improve the quality of these families’ lives. During the weekend retreat, families enjoy outdoor recreation and nature’s beauty together and have opportunities to attend program sessions of interest to their situation. The retreats are free for the families and focus on concerns shared by combat veterans, their spouses and children. Counseling services and sessions are not mandatory, but are readily available for family members to access at any time, during formal sessions or informally in the fishing boat or around the campfire. For more information, contact Mary Beth Schleif at mbschleif@friendshipventures.org

“Free Home Repairs and Modifications for Troops”
Rebuilding Together’s Veterans Housing Initiative, Washington, DC

Rebuilding Together is the nation’s largest nonprofit organization working to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize neighborhoods by providing home repairs and renovation services free of charge to those in need. Rebuilding Together has responded to a growing need among retired and active duty United States Military homeowners. Many of these homeowners cannot afford the costs of home maintenance nor can they physically manage to modify and/or maintain their homes. Rebuilding Together’s Veterans Housing Initiative steps in and ensures these deserving service members and veterans receive the help they need to live in safe and accessible housing. For more information, contact Kaitlin Morris at kaitlin_morris@rebuildingtogether.org

“Military Family Assistance Program”
USA Cares, Radcliff, Kentucky

USA Cares exists to provide military families with financial support and other critical resources in their time of need. The Military Family Assistance Program aides service members and their families with quality of life needs through grants including: foreclosure and eviction prevention, utility assistance, food and car payments. Grants are paid directly to the organization collecting the debt; they do not provide loans. The program also offers counseling and mentorship through family resource coordinators with expertise on the benefits and services provides by each branch of service. Since 2003, USA Cares has served nearly 10,000 families, both stateside and overseas. For more information, contact Jennifer Robinson at jrobinson@usacares.org

The average American doesn't understand the immense sacrifices that military families make for America. Being a military family requires special commitment and dedication. When a loved one in that family dies in service to our country, the rest of that family deserves the very best care possible. Founded in 1994, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), is the only national nonprofit organization providing peer-based emotional support services to all those affected by a death in the Armed Forces. TAPS assists thousands of widows, children, parents, siblings and other loved ones in the difficult days and years following a death, and also provides casework assistance, 24/7 crisis intervention, and grief and trauma resources free of charge for these families. More information is available at www.taps.org

“The Happy Mail Club”
United Cerebral Palsy of Palm Beach and Mid-Coast Counties, Palm Beach, Florida

The Happy Mail Club was created by a group of adults with developmental disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, autism, mental retardation, and Down syndrome, who attend United Cerebral Palsy of Palm Beach & Mid-Coast Counties’ Adult Day Training Program. With the help of volunteers, members of the Happy Mail Club assemble boxes brimming with cards, hand-made crafts, high protein foods, and personal supplies to be sent to deployed American troops. They target soldiers working in the bleakest of situations, who are stationed in the most remote locations, and have the greatest need of supplies. The club follows each unit through deployment, and maintains contact with soldiers who have been injured, or who have returned home. For more information, contact Jessi Smith at jessi.smith@ucpsouthflorida.org

“CampLIFE!: A non-profit benefiting children and spouses of deceased soldiers from Afghanistan and Iraq”
CampLIFE!, Austin, Texas

The wars are taking a toll on the families, and no one feels this more that the families of those soldiers killed in the war. The mission of CampLIFE! is to provide free recreational, educational and counseling activities in the setting of a camp experience to the children and spouses of recently deceased US soldiers deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Partnering with organizations such as HUGSS (Helping Unite Gold Star Survivors), based out of Ft. Hood in Killeen, Texas, and Scott and White hospital, the organization has had the opportunity to host over 150 children and spouses to date. More information available at www.camp-life.org

“Kids Sending Hero Hugs”
Hero Hugs, Niceville, FL

Hero Hugs was started by Bailey Reese of Niceville, Florida when she was just seven-years-old, observing soldiers passing out aid to victims following a hurricane, receiving no thanks. Bailey started Hero Hugs not only to thank the troops, but to teach kids to always appreciate the service and sacrifice of these brave men and women. Hero Hugs is organized by kids like Bailey, with some adult mentors, and the packages are packed by kids from all over the country. The program has been especially helpful for kids with a parent serving in the military; they are able to feel as though they, too, are doing their part to help out. Hero Hugs has sent over 30,000 appreciation packages to troops. For more information, contact Bailey Reese at HeroHugs2004@aol.com