Our Military Kids provides grants for extracurricular activities to children of National Guard and Reserve troops who are currently deployed or recovering from injury. Through these grants, kids and teens are able to participate in activities that minimize the emotional, behavioral, health, and academic difficulties children face when separated from a parent. Learn more about Our Military Kids here!
How did Our Military Kids get its start?
In 2004, we started with a pilot program focused on a National Guard unit in Virginia. The pilot was extremely successful, and we expanded to help all deployed National Guard and Reserve families in the state. Feeling the need to help more children cope with the challenges brought on by lengthy separations, we began covering families in surrounding areas and eventually expanded to the entire United States. Starting in 2008, we began working with children of service members who were severely injured in post-9/11 combat operations, and whose families were struggling to deal with financial and emotional hardships. Today, Our Military Kids is a national organization funded entirely by private donors, corporate sponsors, and foundations.
What is the mission of Our Military Kids?
Our Military Kids works to ensure that all children are empowered, no matter their family circumstance. While a service member is deployed overseas, activates on a stateside mission, or recovering from injuries or illnesses, Our Military Kids offers grants to pay for extracurricular activities for their children, ages 1-18. Since 2004, Our Military Kids has proudly provided more than 88,000 activity scholarships worth more than $32 million to children and teens in all 50 states, territories, and the District of Columbia. Our activity grants build self-confidence, enhance family wellness, and strengthen a shared sense of community.
Can you tell me about your programs?
Our grants can be used to pay for a wide range of activities, including summer camp, sports teams, music lessons, and tutoring. Participating in activities helps children relieve stress, connect with peers and mentors, and gain lifelong social and emotional skills while also reinforcing the positive aspects of deployment such as building resilience, self-sufficiency, and strong family ties. Our Military Kids also hosts the “Courageous Kids Contest” every April to honor children and teens for demonstrating extraordinary courage, resilience, and strength as role models and leaders in their local communities, schools, and activities, all while having a parent who is serving the country or undergoing injury treatment.
How has your work impacted the lives of the children you serve?
The families we work with report that participation in an OMK-sponsored activity improved the psychosocial symptoms caused by separation due to deployment. Children are able to stay active, have something to look forward to, and expend energy in a healthy, productive way. The majority of children report having found a mentor figure through their activity, and the parents report that the grants help them feel connected to their greater military community. Receiving grants helps families feel appreciated, gives them a sense of normalcy, and allows children to have something exciting and fun to talk to their service member about.
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