Academic resources for military families with kids
The life of a military kid can be hard. It’s challenging to maintain consistency when moves occur every few years, and old friends and schools have to be left behind. Over the course of a K-12 education, military kids typically attend 7 to 9 different schools.
That’s a lot of change for a child to deal with. Besides the stress, many educational systems don’t translate between states—and students are left behind as a result. Luckily, there are many resources available for children of service members who may be struggling in school or need a little extra help. As the beginning of the school year grows closer, we wanted to share a few organizations and businesses that are doing all they can to help:
Operation Homefront
Each year, Operation Homefront spends the back to school season collecting school supplies and distributing them to military families in need. They take donations from individuals to supply even more items to our service families. Since its start, the Back-to-School Brigade program has distributed over 350,000 backpacks to children.
Blue Star Families
Reading is an essential skill. With the Blue Star Books program, Blue Star Families helps military children develop their reading abilities by partnering with companies to donate books to military kids. To date, they’ve put books into the hands of more than 560,000 kids across the world. Blue Star Families also offers a program that allows military families to enter many big museums for free, expanding the educational opportunities for military kids.
Military Child Education Coalition
The MCEC supports the dependents of military service members with peer-to-peer monitoring system at schools across the US. These programs connect students and help military kids make a smoother transition into new schools. They currently have 38 active programs in California.
Military Children’s Collaborative Group
This Orange County based organization is improving the lives of military children through advocacy and outreach about the many challenges they face. One of their programs, Count our Kids, encourages schools to include military connection on school enrollment so administration and teachers can better cater to the specific needs of these students. Another program, Salute our Kids, invites people to honor military children during events in the month of April.
Tutor.com
Through a partnership with the DoD and Coast Guard Mutual assistance, tutor.com hosts free, on-demand online tutoring to the dependents of service members. Students can log in and get the help they need from anywhere, at any time. Tutoring is available in over 50 subjects and is taught by certified teachers who are experts in their subject.
eKnowledge SAT/ACT Prep
The eKnowledge team and DoD have joined forces to donate free SAT/ACT PowerPrep programs to the children of service members across the country. To date, they’ve donated $86,548,355 in programs to students who need them.
Our Military Kids
Our Military Kids gives grants to military families in need. They’ve donated nearly $26 million to families across the country, and as a result, have made a tremendous difference. Of the families that received money, 71% noted an improvement in their children’s academic performance, and 98% saw improvement in the family’s wellbeing. But it’s not just numbers. These grants have enabled kids to continue activities they love, like dance and soccer, and learn things they otherwise wouldn’t have been able to afford.
Operation Hero
The no-cost after-school program operates out of Armed Services YMCA’s and addresses the struggles military children face. From friendship and conflict education to homework assistance and activities, military kids who leave the program are more equipped to handle life at home and school. Kids from grades 2-8 can enroll in this program.
NUVISION IS ANOTHER PROUD SUPPORTER OF OUR MILITARY.
We are dedicated to helping our service members and have sponsored numerous outreach programs as well as special programs for the military in the communities we serve.
Just by being a Nuvision member, you’re making a difference. In fact, thanks to our members, earlier this year we raised $5,400 for the Freedom Committee of Orange County. As a member of Nuvision, you help support all of the incredible outreach we do. If you’re not a member, you can find out how to become one here.
