4-H Delivers

Operation: Military Kids Partners With First Lady Maria Shriver’s WE Support Program

The Issue

Military families face incredible challenges. Regardless of which family member is in the military, the entire family serves our country. Military families make personal sacrifices each and every day, and it is crucial that community support programs provide resources for them.

What has 4-H Done?

On September 23, 2009, eight hundred Air Force active duty and reserve family members came together to attend the Maria Shriver WE Support Day at Travis Air Force Base. The California Operation: Military Kids program collaborated with the Shriver office to provide military youth with Hero Packs. These packs were filled with items that help military children communicate with their deployed loved ones. Disposable cameras, writing materials, and stuffed animals constitute just a few resources in the packs. The Solano County 4-H Youth Development program also attended the WE Support Day.  They distributed 4-H materials to the school aged youth and personally thanked each military child for their service. The Operation: Military Kids program formally launched a partnership with Maria Shriver’s office following this family resource day.

The Payoff

The WE Support Day at Travis Air Force Base allowed 4-Hers and community members to voice their support for military families.  Military children felt a sense of belonging and enjoyed their Hero Packs.  The partnership that evolved from the WE Support Day has allowed the California Operation Military Kids program and First Lady Maria Shriver’s office to communicate about the needs of military children. Educational resources have been developed for the public to learn more about military families and their needs. National, state, and local community resource information is now easily accessible to military families via website delivery. The California 4-H community was given an opportunity to partner with a state program to help military kids.

Authors: Chanda Gonzales, California 4-H Military Partnership Director & Berney DeLaCruz, California Operation: Military Kids Program Coordinator