Our Military Kids supports children of deployed service members in the National Guard, Reserve, and those with post-9/11 combat wounds, illnesses, or injuries.

OAKTON, Va., Oct. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Our Military Kids^® (OMK),  a national nonprofit, has partnered with the Lids Foundation  since 2013 to provide more than 2,700 extracurricular activity scholarships to the children and teens of deployed National Guard, deployed Reserve, and combat Veterans in treatment for wounds, illnesses, or injuries.

“Providing our communities and children with the resources to enhance their lives is one of the primary goals of the Lids Foundation,” said Tom Ripley, co-founder and partner at Ames Watson. “We are proud to partner with Our Military Kids, an organization that shares our values of promoting activity and providing greater access to sports for all children and especially those children whose parents are sacrificing daily for our country.”

The Lids Foundation’s recent investment of $60,000 will fund 200 additional OMK activity scholarships, keeping military kids active and connected to community during a difficult time. Extracurriculars have a tremendous impact on children’s mental health, service members’ morale, and the entire family’s overall well-being.

“We are so grateful for a decade of support from the Lids Foundation,” said Kara Dallman, OMK Executive Director and retired U.S. Navy Veteran. “The military kids we serve are often not near military installations or resources like their active-duty peers so when we recognize them and pay for extracurriculars, their whole world becomes a less stressful place!”

Thanks to the Lids Foundation’s partnership, OMK has never turned away eligible military children from pursuing their favorite activities.

“Thank you for your support during this difficult transition,” said Erica, an U.S. Army National Guard spouse. “While his father was deployed, our three-year-old Walter was able to participate in tee-ball and be surrounded by a supportive community to help keep him active.”

Learn more: www.ourmilitarykids.org

About Our Military Kids

Our Military Kids^® is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit offering extracurricular activity grants to children, ages 3-18, of deployed National Guard, deployed Reserve, or post-9/11 combat wounded, ill, or injured Veterans in treatment. OMK activity grants build the children’s self-confidence, enhance family wellness, and strengthen a shared sense of community. Since 2004, Our Military Kids has proudly provided 87,000 activity scholarships worth $32 million. For more information, please visit ourmilitarykids.org .

About the Lids Foundation

The Lids Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and the philanthropic support arm of Lids Sports Group. The Lids Foundation works to engage young people in the communities where Lids Sports Group operates to become active in sports-related activities that promote healthy lifestyles as well as leadership and growth opportunities. It accomplishes its mission primarily through offering resources – be it in the manner of time, expertise, funds, or materials – to nonprofit organizations with goals and values that align with those of the Lids Foundation. To find out more about the Lids Foundation, visit www.lidsfoundation.org.