New Primer for Civilian Nonprofit Organizations Supporting Military Families
Raleigh Keagan
New Primer for Civilian Nonprofit Organizations Supporting Military Families
Military support services go a long way toward helping service members and their families deal with the challenges of military life. But there are times when civilian nonprofit agencies can help the military community by augmenting those services and providing a continuum of support that is key to keeping military families strong. These civilian organizations are part of the Family Readiness System, the network of programs, services, people and agencies, and the collaboration among them, that promotes the readiness and quality of life of service members and their families.
When working with military families, it is important for civilian nonprofits to have current and reliable information about the military programs and services available to their clients. That is why the Department of Defense created the Primer for Civilian Nonprofit Organizations. The primer is a one-stop source of information for civilian elements of the Family Readiness System, organizations supporting military families throughout every phase of military life. It serves as an introduction to military life, with current demographics and an overview of what makes military families and their experiences unique. To make it easy for nonprofits to find the information and resources they need, the content is organized based on the issue a military family might present when coming to a nonprofit for support, addressing topics such as healthy relationships, spouse education and career opportunities, school transition, personal finances and more. After explaining each issue and the challenges it presents for military families, the primer also provides an overview of programs and services offered by the Department of Defense to help families overcome these challenges.
Those who support our military community already understand that service members make great sacrifices to protect our nation and, often, military families share that burden. The primer helps those who work with military families to provide support where and when it is needed most, helping them connect with both military and civilian resources and programs. You can download a copy of the Primer for Civilian Nonprofit Organizations by visiting Military OneSource.
(Source: Military Community and Family Policy eMagazine, August 2013)
For more information: http://www.militaryfamily.org/publications/enewsletters/military-family-topics/new-primer-for-civilian.html