Military Family Initiative

Introduction
How Can I Get Involved?
Download FCS Labels

Questions or Ideas? Contact Marilyn Swierk, CFCS, AAFCS past president, at msinnovate@aol.com or 727-729-6779. 

This year’s Taking it to the Streets session at Annual Conference will be “Taking FCS to the Streets: Resources to Improve the Well-Being of Military Families,” held Thursday at 1:30pm. We will be sharing the many ways we can bring family and consumer sciences information, expertise and skills to assist our military families.

We hope you’ll be telling us about some of the things you and/or your affiliate have done this year as service project with your students or affiliate activities. Let’s take our efforts “to the streets” to give back to those who serve our country and enhance the image of FCS with military families!

How can I get involved? 

Coups for Troops: 
"Clipping Coupons for a Cause." Visit the website for directions to conduct coupon drives for military families. You can send or bring coupons, even expired ones, to various locations across the country. Who can match Alabama’s collection of $12,611.27? It costs about $5 in postage to mail $2000 worth of coupons. Just think what an affiliate or school can do?

Fisher House:
Fisher House provides temporary nearby housing for family members of hospitalized military personnel at no cost. Your affiliate could bring in meals and snacks for residents, conduct drives for toys, gifts, cleaning supplies, toiletries and so on! Follow Florida’s lead and collect items at your affiliate meetings. Visit the website to see if there is a facility near you.

Care 4 R Troops: 
Operation Care 4 R Troops is a volunteer-based, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, providing support to our U.S troops and their families before, during, and after deployment. Everything that is donated goes directly to creating a care package or providing one of their free services to a deployed service member or their family.

Here are some examples of what you could do from Care 4 R Troops:
Write letters - You’re never too young or old to write a letter! Everyone loves getting a hand written letter! This also makes a GREAT class project for any grade! Send the letters to us and we will include them in care packages. Troop addresses are not given for security purposes but they can be dropped off at community events or mail them to us at "Operation: Care 4 R Troops" 1001 Courtland Blvd., Deltona, Fl 32738.

Gift cards - Cards for stores to buy supplies for care packages and other events (think Target, Walmart, Dollar Tree, Publix, Walgreens, sports stores for cold weather gear in the winter...just about anywhere supplies can be bought). ANY amount will do.

Collect and mail or drop off supplies:
  • Small boxes of powdered Laundry soap
  • Razors, (twin blades, Mach 3, Gillette Quattro, Schick Intuition are most requested)
  • Baby wipes
  • Shaving cream or gel NOT in aerosol cans
  • Shampoo/Conditioner-any size or type
  • Snack size chips, cookies (without chocolate)--things soldiers can easily keep in their pockets.
  • Visit Care4Troops.org for more information.

Don't forget to put an FCS Label on everything you give to the public! Click here to download labels created for you!