Family, Community and Social Services

  • Click on the links below or scroll down the page for more information about our listings for Family, Community and Social Services

    Families of Deployed/Returning Veterans

    National Resource Directory
    The National Resource Directory provides access to services and resources at the national, state and local levels that support recovery, rehabilitation and community reintegration.

    10 Things Military Teens Want to Know (PDF)
    List of a collaboration of input from teens on what they think is important for others to know about military teens.

    Christmas Décor
    Professional decorators for Christmas season, nominations are taken to decorate military family homes.

    Coalition of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans
    Partnership of organizations committed to strengthening the existing system of care and support for all those affected by OEF/OIF.

    Daddy Dolls
    Pictures of the deployed parent are made into things so the child can feel like the parent is still around.

    Dog Tags for Kids
    Show that your child serves too by requesting a dog tag that you can send to them.

    Fabric Family
    Lightweight fabric with family picture that you can send to your deployed loved one for them to take and put up where ever they are.

    Frugal Living
    List of where children can eat free.

    Military Family Books
    Resource of books to help children and families.

    Military Onesource
    Education, relocation, parenting, stress - you name it - Military OneSource is here to help you with just about any need. Available by phone or online, our free service is provided by the Department of Defense for active-duty, Guard, and Reserve servicemembers and their families. The service is completely private and confidential, with few exceptions.

    National Guard Family Program
    Provides help and support for National Guard families.

    National Military Family Association

    Informational and supportive organization for families.

    Operation Shower
    Provides baby showers for military moms.

    Separation Tips
    Things to help your child cope with your spouse being gone on deployment.

    Operation Homefront
    Provides a variety of emergency financial and support services for the families of deployed servicemembers and wounded warriors; has 23 chapters in 32 states.
    (800) 722-6098

    Operation We are Here
    Resource list for deployed families on where to go for certain items.

    Patriot PAWS Service Dogs
    Trains and provides service dogs for the benefit of disabled American veterans in order to help restore their physical and emotional independence.
    (972) 772-3282

    Post-Deployment Stress: What Families Should Know, What Families Can Do (PDF)
    Guide created by the RAND Center for Military Health Policy Research to help families cope with the return of an active-duty servicemember.

    S.T.O.M.P
    Support and training for military families who have a disabled or special-need child.

    Welcome Back Parenting
    Guides for servicemembers coming back from deployment, topics of development and gives typical reactions of children from post-deployment to help the servicemember be prepared.

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    Military Children

    4-H Military Partnerships
    4-H programs for military children.

    A Thousand Thanks
    Request a special thanks for a child you know whose parent is serving.

    Army Reserve Child & Youth Services
    Online support center for children of Reservists that provides information
    about a parent’s deployment, links to fun events like youth camps, and
    resources for parents and educators.
    (866) 345-8248

    Books for Military Children
    List of books for military children to read.

    Deployment Kids
    Free website resources for keeping in touch, coping with stress, and other
    issues faced by children of deployed servicemembers.

    Military Child Education Coalition

    Ensures quality educational opportunities for all military-connected children
    affected by mobility, family separation, and transition.
    (254) 953-1923

    Military Teen Online

    Online community and support network.

    Military Teen Adventure Camps

    Camps that teens have the opportunity to go white water rafting, hiking, mountain biking and much more with other military teens.

    MyClubMyLife.com
    Website for teens provided by Boys and Girls Club.

    Operation Purple
    Program to establish relationships among military children and families to help them cope with a parent's deployment. Provides free week-long overnight camp experiences for children, camps for teens, family retreats at national parks, and camps for children of wounded servicemembers; serves children of military servicemembers, with preference given to those with a deployed parent.
    (703) 931-6632

    Our Military Kids
    Provides grants to cover youth activities like sports, fine arts, tutoring, scouting, and more for children ages 3 years through 12th grade who have a parent who is deployed or was injured while serving in the Reserve or National Guard.
    (866) 691-6654

    Sittercity
    Parents looking for sitters can use the four-step screening process, which includes checking references, reading caregiver reviews, conducting interviews, and utilizing free access to background checks to find the perfect match for their family; memberships for servicemembers are funded by the U.S. Department of Defense.
    (888) 748-2489

    VA Kids
    Gives information about the VA, as well as what a veteran is.

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    Families of Injured or Killed Servicemembers

    American Gold Star Mothers
    Organization of mothers who have lost a son or daughter in service of our country; includes links to various scholarship funds, support, and service organizations.
    (202) 265-0991

    Army Emergency Relief
    Army Emergency Relief provides emergency assistance to active-duty soldiers, Army National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers, and family members of an active-duty soldier or died while on active duty.

    Families United for Our Troops and Their Mission

    Supports Blue and Gold Star families with social gatherings, education programs, charitable support, and patriotic activities.
    (202) 293-4656

    Gold Star Wives of America
    Community of service, support, and friendship for the widows and widowers of those who died while on active duty or as a result of military service.
    (888) 751-6350

    Got Your Back Network
    Grief counseling, job training, tutoring, and mentoring for the families of servicemembers killed in action, as well as fun activities for military children to help them cope with the loss of a parent.

    National Resource Directory
    Provides online access to services and resources at the national, state, and local level that support recovery, rehabilitation, and community reintegration for wounded, ill, and injured servicemembers, veterans, their families, and those who support them.

    Patriot Guard Riders
    Members attend the funerals of fallen heroes, by invitation from the family, to shield family members from interruptions by protestors through legal and nonviolent means; contact your state captain (listed on the website) for all requests.

    Sons and Daughters in Touch
    Network of support for family members of Vietnam veterans killed or missing in action; provides educational programs to ensure Vietnam veterans are not forgotten.
    (800) 984-9994

    TAPS – Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors
    Peer-based support, crisis care, casualty casework assistance, and grief and trauma resources for anyone who has lost a loved one due to military service, regardless of relationship.
    (800) 959-8277

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    Other Support

    Army Family and Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Command
    Network of support and leisure activities to culturally and creatively enrich the lives of active-duty servicemembers and military families.

    American Red Cross Service to Armed Forces
    Information about coping with deployment, financial assistance, emergency communication, and other support services for military personnel and military families.
    (877) 272-7337 (for those stationed in the United States; those stationed overseas should call the Red Cross office at their location)

    Building Homes for Heroes
    Builds homes from the ground up or modifies existing homes to meet the needs of veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan who return home with severe wounds and disabilities.

    Greencare for Troops
    National outreach program coordinated by Project EverGreen provides free lawn care and landscaping services to military families.
    (877) 758-4835

    Habitat for Humanity International

    Habitat for Humanity affiliates around the nation are developing opportunities to engage military members, veterans and their families through volunteerism, employment and programs for home ownership, renovation and minor repairs. Contact your local Habitat for Humanity office to see what they have to offer.

    Homes for Our Troops
    Organization builds specially adapted homes for severely injured veterans at no cost to the veteran.

    Honor Flight Network
    Provides trips to the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., for veterans, with preference given to veterans of World War II; all expenses are paid.
    (937) 521-2400

    Military Families Outdoors
    The Sierra Club's program to provide positive outdoor experiences for military personnel and/or their families; offers retreats, adventure challenges, and camps for children; also offers discounts on Sierra Club outings for military families.
    (758) 579-5930

    MilitaryPets FOSTER Project (NetPets)
    Network of free foster care homes for pets (not limited to cats and dogs) while their owners are deployed on active duty.
    (843) 249-5262

    Outward Bound Veterans Expeditions
    Wilderness adventures to build camaraderie and aid in readjustment to civilian life for OEF/OIF veterans, regardless of combat status.
    (866) 467-7651

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