Operation Homefront Launches Back-to-School Brigade for Military Families

National nonprofit Operation Homefront is kicking off its16^th annual Back-to-School Brigade program to support thousands of military families during a difficult time of the year. Our nation’s military families often face deployments, and the summer frequently brings relocations and the challenge of adjusting to new communities.

Operation Homefront’s program reduces the financial burden of purchasing school supplies and provides local communities an opportunity to thank military families for all they do to protect the freedoms we, as Americans, enjoy daily.

Operation Homefront will provide backpacks filled with essential school supplies to 30,000 military children across the country this year, hoping to reach a major milestone, distributing its 550,000^th backpack to a military child since the program launched in 2008, saving military families more than $60 million to date.

“Many of our military families continue to face a variety of financial hardships as they work to protect our nation and the freedoms we enjoy daily,” said Brig. Gen. (ret.) John I. Pray Jr., president and CEO of Operation Homefront. “Thanks to like-minded partners like Dollar Tree and its loyal customers and Southern New Hampshire University, we will not only be able to help this special group of our fellow citizens during the financially stressful back-to-school season, but we will be able to ensure our military children have the resources they need to succeed at school.”

Southern New Hampshire University, whose mission is to make high-quality education more accessible and affordable for everyone, is the lead investor in this year’s Back-to-School Brigade and has supported Operation Homefront since 2014.

“SNHU is proud to partner with Operation Homefront to help reduce barriers and create opportunities for military spouses and their families,” said Jeremy Owens, AVP of University Partnerships, SNHU. “Military families make many sacrifices in their service, and it is vital that they get the support they need to make sure their children have access to school supplies to be able to focus on their studies.”

The school supplies that Operation Homefront will distribute at more than 120 events across the country are thanks to contributions from Dollar Tree and its customers. Beginning July 5 and running through Aug. 4, customers can donate supplies to the Back-to-School Brigade program at more than 8,000 participating Dollar Tree locations nationwide.

Dollar Tree is a longtime advocate of military families. Since their partnership with Operation Homefront began in 2006, Dollar Tree and its generous customers have provided millions of dollars in cash and in-kind to the nonprofit’s recurring support programs.

”We are honored to once again partner with Operation Homefront – and our generous customers – to set up military families for success in this back-to-school season,” said Kristin Tetreault, chief communications officer for Dollar Tree. “Our customers and associates truly look forward to giving back to those who give so much for our country.”

Additional partners supporting Operation Homefront’s Back-to-School Brigade at events around the country include CSX and Kellogg’s. For more information, visit https://operationhomefront.org/back-to-school-brigade/

For more information about back-to-school shopping, subscribe to Kitchenware News & Housewares Review.