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Our Military Kids Eligibility Criteria Expands to Launch 20th Anniversary Year

Survey results show the need for enrichment activity scholarships for 1-and-2-year-olds of deployed National Guard, deployed Reserve, and combat-injured Veterans.

OAKTON, Va., Jan. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Our Military Kids® (OMK), a national nonprofit providing activity scholarships to military children and teens, has expanded its program eligibility criteria this week to include 1-and 2-year-olds in both the Deployed and Combat Injured Programs.

According to OMK’s 2023 Annual Survey of beneficiary families, 91% of Deployed Program families and 79% of Combat Injured Program families with children ages one and two would have applied for OMK enrichment activity scholarships if their children had been eligible.

Our Military Kids® has expanded its eligibility criteria to provide activity scholarships to 1-and 2-year-olds.Post this

Now entering its 20th year of support for military families, Our Military Kids has awarded more than 88,000 enrichment activity scholarships to children of deployed National Guard, deployed Reserve, and post-9/11 Veterans in treatment for combat-related wounds, illnesses, or injuries. Broadening eligibility criteria to include 1-and 2-year-olds extends this life-changing support, ensuring even more military children can stay active, relieve stress, and connect to their communities.

“OMK has troves of data we routinely use to drive program expansion and improve service delivery. Our Board of Directors seized this opportunity to do to both for our youngest military children,” said Kara Dallman, OMK Executive Director and retired Navy Veteran. “Whether they tumble, swim, or express themselves in music class, their sense of confidence and belonging will soar.”

In an expansion pilot, 2-year-old Clara from Florida took swimming lessons and learned critical life skills during her father’s U.S. Air Force Reserve deployment.

“Since my daughter received this grant, she has developed a passion for swimming,” said an OMK beneficiary parent. “She used to be scared of water, but her swimming has improved, and the fear is gone. She would like to participate on a swim team one day which would never have been possible without this grant.”

Now entering its 20th year of support for military families, Our Military Kids has awarded more than 88,000 enrichment activity scholarships to children of deployed National Guard, deployed Reserve, and post-9/11 Veterans in treatment for combat-related wounds, illnesses, or injuries. Broadening eligibility criteria to include 1-and 2-year-olds extends this life-changing support, ensuring even more military children have the chance to stay active, relieve stress, and connect to their communities.

For more information and to apply, please visit ourmilitarykids.org.

About Our Military Kids®

Our Military Kids recognizes the sacrifice of children of deployed National Guard, deployed Reserve, or post-9/11, combat-injured service members or Veterans by offering extracurricular activity grants that build children’s self-confidence, enhance family wellness, and strengthen a shared sense of community. Since 2004, OMK has given more than 88,000 activity scholarships worth $32 million. Learn more at ourmilitarykids.org.

McLean, Virginia – A national nonprofit that supports military children has elected two new members to its Board of Directors, as well as a new Chairman, as the group heads into its 15th year providing grants to military kids of parents recovering from combat-related injuries or kids whose parents are deployed overseas with the National Guard and Reserves.

Based in McLean, VA, but serving children throughout the United States, Our Military Kids was founded in 2004 to help children of deployed Guard and Reservists manage the challenges that arise when a parent is deployed to a war zone. Ten years ago, Our Military Kids expanded its mission to include children of severely injured service members from all branches.

By providing grants for extracurricular activities, Our Military Kids offers children an opportunity to discover new talents, empower themselves and create positive memories during a difficult time in their lives.

The newest members of the board, Rebecca Singhavong and Jonathan “Jack” Harrington, each bring to the board a unique passion for the mission of Our Military Kids, said Barry Miller, the newest Chairman of the Board. Singhavong, an accomplished financial leader with public accounting and corporate experience, comes from the Advisory Board for Our Military Kids. As the Vice President of Finance at the ViON Corporation in Herndon, Virginia, Singhavong has a proven track record of creating and implementing financial controls, transforming business operations to drive growth, and staff development. She hopes to translate her leadership skills at ViON to strategic fundraising in order to increase the number of grants awarded to military kids. “I want to engage our donors and promote awareness about why we should support military kids,” Singhavong said.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree from University of Maryland University College majoring in Accounting and expects to complete her MBA degree in Executive Leadership from James Madison University in December 2018.

Harrington, Counsel at Campolo, Middleton & McCormick, LLP in Ronkonkoma, NY is also a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Reserve. Harrington chairs the International Regulation, Enforcement & Compliance and Cybersecurity practice groups at CMM. In addition to his legal practice, Harrington is a recognized national security expert with broad experience across the government, academic, and consulting sectors.

Harrington knows firsthand the isolation that families of Guard and Reserve experience when a parent is deployed. He hopes to expand the network of support for Our Military Kids.

A resident of Stony Brook, New York, Harrington is a graduate of the University of St. Andrews (Scotland), Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, and Yale Law School, where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Yale Journal of International Law. Harrington is a Fellow with the Truman National Security Project.

Miller, who served on the Board of Director’s for two years before becoming its newest Chairman, said he hopes that Harrington’s military leadership and Singhavong’s fundraising skills will help the nonprofit develop additional community partnerships to benefit military children.

Last year, Our Military Kids received slightly more than $2 million in donations, and 92% of those donations were spent directly on children’s programs. As a result, 3,767 grants were awarded to military kids in 2017, with sports and arts activities the most popular choices.

In the most recent survey of families who received grants for activities, almost all respondents said the grants improved the entire family’s well-being, as well as decreased their child’s stress and anxiety. For more information, visit www.ourmilitarykids.org

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McLean, Virginia – One of the country’s fastest growing restaurant franchisees, KBP Foods, was honored last week by Our Military Kids for its outstanding support of military children. Since 2013, KBP Foods has raised almost $1 million for the nonprofit Our Military Kids, which supports the children of combat-injured soldiers as well as children of deployed Guard and Reserve personnel. As a result, thousands of military children have participated in activities like dancing, soccer and horseback riding while their parents were serving overseas or receiving treatment for combat-related injuries.

“KBP Foods has provided a tremendous level of assistance to military kids and families and we are grateful for their leadership,” said Barry Miller, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Our Military Kids. “From cashiers, to store managers, to the executive team, KBP Foods has made an extraordinary effort to honor the families who serve our nation.”

Our Military Kids was founded in 2004 to cover fees for extracurricular activities so that military kids can discover new talents and pursue their interests while their parents are deployed or recovering. Since its founding, Our Military Kids has been able to award more than 60,000 grants totaling $25 million because of the generosity of its donors.

Miller presented KBP Foods with the Frederick C. Smith Award during the nonprofit’s annual celebration of military children last week. The award, given to a person or company that works to improve the lives of military families, is named in honor of Frederick C. Smith, a founding member of Our Military Kids. Smith advocated for military families until he passed away from cancer in 2011. His devotion to military families helped pave the way for the success of Our Military Kids, and the award honors others who follow in his footsteps.

KBP Foods is the largest KFC franchise in the U.S. and has raised money for Our Military Kids twice a year since 2013, through the sale of $1 coupon books (containing $40 in savings). Every dollar collected from the coupon book sales at 180 KFC stores in Arkansas, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Maryland, New York City and Oklahoma, has been donated to Our Military Kids. The 2018 spring sales resulted in a $141,000 donation to Our Military Kids, bringing the total donations to just under $1 million.

From Killeen, Texas to Norfolk, Virginia, employees at KBP Foods-owned KFC stores have made it their mission to support Our Military Kids. Two years ago, Deborah Alexander, KFC General Manager in Newport News, Virginia, sold more than 12,000 books to benefit the grant program.

“Our Military Kids is an incredible organization that makes a meaningful difference in the communities it serves,” said Matt Hansen, Chief Operating Officer at KBP Foods. “It is our privilege to support Our Military Kids in their mission to help children of deployed and severely injured Service Members and Veterans.”

About KBP Foods KBP Foods, headquartered in Overland Park, Kan., has been named one of the 10 Fastest-Growing Restaurant Chains and one of the Top 100 Fastest-Growing Businesses in North America. Currently, KBP Foods operates 600 KFC and Taco Bell restaurants across 23 states.

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By Michelle Criqui

Eight-year-old Tiian is an avid dancer and gymnast who loves to learn new skills. Since she was two years old, Tiian has taken classes in jazz, ballet and tap, and began taking part in competitions at age five. Now, Tiian competes in the XCEL Gymnastics program at a grade seven level, and has won All-Around in every meet this year.

Tiian knows how important gymnastics is to her. So when it came time to celebrate her eighth — and “Golden” — birthday, Tiian and her family decided that, in lieu of gifts, they would collect donations to Our Military Kids so that other kids might get a chance to experience gymnastics as well.

Tiian poses with her many gymnastics medals. Tiian’s love for dance and gymnastics inspired her and her family to give back.

“We went looking for a charitable organization and could not have been more pleased to find your website and to discover your mission is so reflective of the parts of life that are so loved by our daughter,” Tisa said.

At her birthday party, Tiian’s friends donated $125 toward grants that will pay for an activity like gymnastics or baseball for military children when their parent is deployed or recovering from injuries. Some of her friends donated online as well.

“Our daughter is at an age where she can appreciate the costs of gymnastics,” Tisa said. Tisa went on to explain that she wants Tiian to understand the importance of giving back at a young age, so that it stays with her as she gets older.

These donations might also directly benefit military children in Tiian’s home state of Minnesota, as the 347th Regional Support Group with the Minnesota National Guard deploys several units to serve overseas throughout 2018. This year alone, Our Military Kids has given out 16 grants to Minnesotan military children.

Tiian and her family hope to help military children pursue their passions.

“May this be a small token of gratitude,” Tisa said. “For all you do to lift up children and to give them amazing opportunities.”

Angela Burton, Executive Director of Our Military Kids, said Tiian’s efforts on behalf of military kids are incredibly generous.

“We are so honored that Tiian and her family reached out to Our Military Kids,” Burton said. “She knows how important gymnastics are in her life and she wanted to share that with another child. What an amazing gift she has given.”

By Michelle Criqui

Military kids are trendsetters!

During the Winter Olympics last month, we learned that many of our OMK Stars have quite the athletic prowess, and take part in a wide array of fascinating competitive endeavors. Two sisters from Wisconsin stood out, competing as world-class log rollers who were recently ranked eighth and tenth in the world in Women’s Professional Logrolling, according to the U.S. Log Rolling Association.

Then, in February 2018, Our Military Kids granted another young athlete — also a Wisconsin native — our first-ever grant for log rolling lessons. So what makes this sport stand out?

Log rolling requires a keen sense of balance, along with superior core strength.

Balancing on opposite ends of a cedar log, sisters and globally-ranked professional log rollers Maggie and Haley Penning enter into a competition of quick feet and impressive stability as they attempt to knock the other off and into the water.

After nearly a minute of matched skill, Haley, 17, splashes water into the air with her foot, in an attempt to distract her sister. The move ultimately works, and Maggie, 19, slips off into the water, leaving Haley victorious 一 at least for this match.

Maggie and Haley began taking log rolling lessons when they were just eight and six years old, respectively. Less than three years later, in the fall of 2009, their father deployed to Kuwait, and the Penning sisters each received an Our Military Kids grant for ski lessons, which they took during the off-season for log rolling.

“It is an honor to serve these talented kids while their father serves our country,” Angela Burton, Executive Director at Our Military Kids, said.

Maggie credits the “tightknit military community” as a great source of support during this difficult time for her family. They received extra help during Christmastime from their friends and neighbors, and with the help from their Our Military Kids grants, the sisters were able to compete on their school’s ski team during the winter and in in log rolling competitions during the summer.

But why log rolling?

“It’s kind of a big deal in our hometown,” Maggie said. “Everyone’s tried it there.”

The Pennings hail from Hayward, Wisc., home of the annual Lumberjack World
Championships. This event draws around 3,000 spectators from every year, and features such outdoorsy challenges as wood chopping, sawing, pole climbing and, of course, log rolling.

Hayward hosted its first Lumberjack World Championships in 1960, and has since had competitors from a variety of states, as well as Canada, Australia, New Zealand.

“A lot of kids grow up log rolling here,” Samantha Hadley, vice president of the U.S. Log Rolling Association, said. “The sport grows a bit each year.”

In the warmer months, log rollers do most of their training on land. According to Maggie, this includes uphill runs to strengthen their legs, and core workouts to improve their balance. In the water, athletes use soccer cleats that have been ground down and embellished with metal spikes to practice on shorter logs.

“It’s a big mental sport,” Maggie said. “Once you just get the hang of it physically, you just have to get past it mentally when you’re in competitions.”

When Maggie was 14, she won her first world title, for the U-13 Girls Division. Then, at age 16, she won a Semi-Pro world title, which allowed her to officially become one of the youngest professional log rollers.

“I just kind of saw how it goes and took my time adjusting,” said Maggie. “But I started getting the hang of it with all those professionals.”

Haley won her first world title when she was only seven in the U-10 Girls Division. She went on to win a world title for the U-12 Girls Division, and then went professional after winning a third world title just last year, at age 16.

According to the U.S. Log Rolling Association, Maggie is now ranked eighth in the world in professional Women’s Log Rolling, and Haley is tenth.

“It was exciting to see that Haley was ranked so high after her first year pro,” Maggie said.

The sisters’ ultimate goal? To see the sport they love gain global recognition at the Olympics.

“We are trying to spread the world about the sport we love and watch it grow,” Maggie said.

Not only does it take undeniable athletic ability to compete, but the sport is also “enthralling to watch,” according to Hadley, who agreed that log rolling has great potential to become a contender in the Summer Olympics.

Maggie cited the men’s log rolling competitions as being particularly riveting, as spectators often cannot even see the log under their feet because it sinks so low in the water during the commotion.

Additionally, Maggie said that recent innovations in log rolling, such as the creation of synthetic logs that are more easily transported, have made it a much more viable sport for international, Olympic competition.

“Society is becoming more open to unique sports,” Hadley said. “It’s just a matter of growing, getting the word out and spreading the log rolling love.”

No matter what the future holds for this fascinating sport and the determined log rollers who continue in its tradition, Our Military Kids is in their corner all the way.

Life as a military kid can certainly be a balancing act. But for these resilient young athletes, it’s just another day on the water.

By Michelle Criqui

From patriotic bows in red, white and blue, to camouflage purses made of uniforms from each branch of the military, Fashionista Dreams has you covered for the Month of the Military Child.

Fashionista Dreams is an online, handmade boutique that opened shop in January 2018. The store features a variety of clothing items and accessories for children, adults and dolls alike 一 all carefully crafted by 12-year-old Alyssa Cotter, an aspiring fashion designer and proud military kid.

Alyssa Cotter crafts a purse out of an Air Force uniform.

During April’s Month of the Military Child, Cotter has decided to give 100 percent of her shop’s proceeds to Our Military Kids, as well as feature unique designs with a military flair.

“I chose Our Military Kids because they give grants to military kids to help them achieve their dreams,” Cotter said.

Growing up in the military lifestyle, Cotter lived across the country on military bases such as Fort Bragg and Fort Campbell, and now calls sunny Oahu, Hawaii home. Her mother taught her how to sew when she was six years old, and she quickly picked up a self-described “passion for fashion” that led her to open a shop of her own.

At the moment, Cotter’s favorite designs to make are purses and pencil skirts, and her top-sellers are her beanies, especially during the last few winter months. On her website, Cotter emphasizes that each Fashionista Dreams product is completely customizable, and can be always be altered according to each customer’s specific needs.

Although she said she gets many creative ideas from Pinterest, Cotter also pulls inspiration from established fashion designers and consultants, such as Vera Wang and Tim Gunn.

“I love that they put their own twist on their different items, and their personality shows through what they make,” Cotter said.

Cotter began sewing at age six, and from there developed a “passion for fashion.”

Life as a military kid has also played a role in inspiring design ideas, as showcased in Cotter’s latest military-themed products as Fashionista Dreams celebrates the Month of the Military Child. For this young fashionista, the best part about being a military kid was “moving around and getting to experience new cultures and history.”

Throughout the month, all proceeds from Cotter’s shop will benefit her fellow military kids who are facing difficult deployments and coping with combat-wounded parents. Every handmade purse, bow, apron and doll dress will help provide activity grants to children so that they can do what they love and feel the support of their community.

When it comes to inspiring other military kids in the pursuit of their goals, Cotter has one piece of advice: “Dream big!”

You can check out Alyssa Cotter’s shop by clicking here!

McLean, Virginia – Two of the country’s premier nonprofit databases have awarded top ratings to Our Military Kids, adding to the list of honors the nonprofit has received this year for transparency and accountability.

GuideStar has given its 2018 Platinum Seal of Transparency to Our Military Kids. A search engine that collects and presents information about nonprofits, GuideStar was founded to promote nonprofit transparency for donors. The awards go from Bronze, Silver, Gold and finally, to Platinum.

The other database, GreatNonprofits, refers to itself as “the one and only people’s choice award,” because volunteers, donors and people served by nonprofits are asked to share stories of inspiration and express their appreciation on its website. With its most recent Top-Rated Award from GreatNonprofits, Our Military Kids holds the #5 spot overall, based on 507 five–star reviews from clients, volunteers and donors.

Earlier this month, Charity Navigator also awarded its highest 4-star rating to Our Military Kids. It’s the third year in a row (and the sixth time overall) that Charity Navigator has awarded its top rating to Our Military Kids. Angela Burton, Executive Director of Our Military Kids, said she was grateful for the recognition. “Our program is possible because of the generous support of our donors,” Burton said. “And these ratings tell our supporters that their donations are directly helping military kids.”

Last year, Our Military Kids received slightly more than $2 million in donations, and 92% of those donations were spent directly on children’s programs. As a result, 3,767 grants were awarded to military kids last year, with sports and arts activities the most popular choices. In the most recent survey of families who received grants for activities, almost all respondents said the grants improved the entire family’s well-being, as well as decreased their child’s stress and anxiety.

Our Military Kids, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit providing substantial support to children of deployed National Guard and Military Reserve service members and to children of severely injured service members and veterans from all active and reserve military branches. For more information, visit www.ourmilitarykids.org or call Gretchen Hitchner at 703-734-6654.

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McLean, Virginia – A month-long coupon drive at 180 KFC stores will benefit children of deployed National Guard and Reserve families, as well as children of severely injured service members and veterans of all branches. The fundraiser by KBP Foods, the largest KFC franchise in the U.S., is part of a longstanding partnership that has provided funding for thousands of military kids to join an extracurricular activity.

This year’s coupon drive began Feb. 26 and will run through March 31 at KBP-owned KFC stores in Texas, Virginia, Louisiana, Maryland, Oklahoma, Virginia and North Carolina. The coupon book sells for $1 each (more than $40 in savings) and all proceeds in these markets will benefit Our Military Kids.
“We are so honored to be selected as a partner with KBP foods,” said Angela Burton, Executive Director at Our Military Kids. “Their incredible support means that kids across the country will have access to rewarding and engaging activities while their parents are deployed.”

“Our Military Kids is an incredible organization that makes a meaningful difference in the communities it serves,” said Matt Hansen, Chief Operating Officer at KBP Foods. “It is our privilege to support Our Military Kids in their mission to help children of deployed and severely injured Service Members and Veterans.”

Launched in 2004, Our Military Kids was started as a way to thank families of Guard and Reserve personnel who endured lengthy and repeated deployments. In 2008, the group expanded to include children of severely injured service members. Our Military Kids has provided almost 60,000 grants to children across the United States. In a recent survey of families who received the grants, 94% said they saw a decrease in the child’s stress and anxiety and 98% saw improvement in the entire family’s well-being. Our Military Kids provides eligible children up to $500 per grant for each deployment lasting at least 180 days. For more information, visit the website at www.ourmilitarykids.org.

 

[maxbutton id=”1″ url=”http://ourmilitarykids.org/find-kfc-kbp-foods-near/” text=”Find a Coupon Book” ]

 
About KBP Foods
KBP Foods, headquartered in Overland Park, Kan., has been named one of the 10 Fastest-Growing Restaurant Chains and one of the Top 100 Fastest-Growing Businesses in North America. Currently, KBP Foods operates more than 560 KFC and Taco Bell restaurants across 21 states.

About Our Military Kids
Our Military Kids, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit providing substantial support to children of deployed National Guard and Military Reserve service members and to children of wounded warriors from all active and reserve military branches. For more information, visit www.ourmilitarykids.org or call Gretchen Hitchner at 703-734-6654.

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McLean, Virginia – A charity flag football game in its fiftieth year has selected Our Military Kids as its newest beneficiary. The event features celebrities, elected officials and football stars in a spirited, fun-filled flag football game at Old Dominion University. Dating back to 1968, the game began as a Thanksgiving match-up by former high school and college football players and has a longstanding tradition of raising money for children. Known as the Annual Priority Toyota Charity Bowl, the event raised close to $350,000 for children’s charities in the Hampton Roads area last year.

Our Military Kids supports children of deployed National Guard and Reserve service members and children of wounded warriors from all service branches by paying for participation in activities that help kids cope with stress and anxiety while their parents are recovering or absent. Founded in 2004, Our Military Kids was started as a way to say thank you to families of Guard and Reserve personnel who endured lengthy and repeated deployments. In 2008, the group expanded to include children of severely injured service members. Our Military Kids has provided almost 60,000 grants to children throughout the United States. Shifting their focus to something positive like an extra-curricular activity is a welcome distraction and helps to lower their level of stress, making them more resilient.

Donations from the Priority Toyota Charity Bowl will benefit the children in the Hampton Roads area whose parents are deployed or recovering from combat-related injuries. “We are so grateful to the Priority Toyota Charity Bowl for including us in this year’s game,” said Angela Burton, Executive Director of Our Military Kids. “Our program makes a big difference for kids who are going through a tough time — and this support from the Charity Bowl will mean a lot to our families,” Burton said.

The game will take place on Saturday, April 14th at 4:30 p.m. at the S.B. Ballard Stadium at Foreman Field at Old Dominion University. Other weekend events include a 5K race and a concert by Grammy nominee Joe Nichols. A full schedule is available on the website at www.prioritycharitybowl.com.

Our Military Kids, Inc. is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit providing substantial support to children of deployed National Guard and Military Reserve service members and to children of wounded warriors from all active and reserve military branches. For more information, visit www.ourmilitarykids.org or call Gretchen Hitchner at (703) 734-6654.

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Charity Navigator Awards OMK with Highest 4-Star Rating

 

McLean, Virginia –  The country’s largest charity evaluator has once again given its coveted 4-star rating to Our Military Kids.  It’s the third year in a row (and the sixth time overall) that Charity Navigator has awarded its top rating to Our Military Kids.

 

In a letter announcing the rating, Michael Thatcher, President and CEO of Charity Navigator, wrote, “This is our highest possible rating and indicates that your organization adheres to sector best practices and executes its mission in a financially efficient way.”

 

Thatcher added, “Only 21% of the charities we evaluate have received at least 3 consecutive 4-star evaluations, indicating that Our Military Kids outperforms most other charities in America.”

 

Charity Navigator plays a critical role in helping donors understand the financial integrity of a nonprofit.  The organization helps guide intelligent giving by evaluating the financial health, accountability and transparency of more than 8,000 charities.

 

“This rating tells our supporters that we’re using their donations in the most expedient way possible,” said Linda Davidson, founder of Our Military Kids.  “The military families we serve have made incredible sacrifices and we’re committed to ensuring that every dollar counts when we honor them.”

 

Last year, Our Military Kids received slightly more than $2 million in donations, and 92% of those donations were spent directly on children’s programs.  In the most recent survey of families who received grants for activities, almost all respondents said the grants improved the entire family’s well-being, as well as decreased their child’s stress and anxiety.

 

Our Military Kids, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit providing substantial support to children of deployed National Guard and Military Reserve service members and to children of severely injured service members and veterans from all active and reserve military branches. For more information, visit www.ourmilitarykids.org or call Gretchen Hitchner at 703-734-6654.

 

 

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