Operation Hero is an afterschool enrichment program designed to address issues faced by many military children. Military children bear a tremendous amount of stress related to frequent moves, parental deployment, and trauma resulting from the wounding or loss of a mother or father. Operation Hero provides a safe environment where these children can express their emotions, receive academic and emotional support, and connect with peers who are experiencing the same challenges. The program provides tools (e.g. Operation Hero’s innovative homework app) and opportunities for military children to adjust positively to the challenges of military life. Thanks to our donors, this no-cost program gives military parents the chance to get their children the help and support they need, without worrying about financial costs.

Forced frequent moves due to military orders is one of the unique stressors of military family life. Operation Little Learners provides military parents tools to enhance the developmental areas of their child and offers opportunity for early learning and bonding. The program also connects military families to a support network filled with other parents and children experiencing similar challenges. With a curriculum focused on phonics, writing, science, and math skills, each student graduates fully prepared for kindergarten having established a foundation for future social and academic success.

Children’s Waiting Room is a child care program located inside military and civilian hospitals that allows parents to attend scheduled appointments without the stress of having to find child care outside the hospital. When families have the ability to drop off their children inside the hospital at no or low cost, they are more likely to attend scheduled appointments, and in locations with Children’s Waiting Room hospital administrators report a 30% drop in no show rates. Siblings kept out of clinic areas have reduced exposure to other sick patients. Providing a child watch program at hospitals allows service members and spouses to make healthier health care decisions.

Camps and camping opportunities offered throughout the year at our branches and affiliate locations continue to be one of ASYMCA’s most popular programs. Camps encourage healthy living as part of our core mission of strengthening our military family, and provide much needed recreational and bonding opportunities for military children and families who have experienced multiple deployments. Camping provides a fun, educational and safe outdoor experience for military children and families to bond, make new friends and build their support networks by connecting with others who have similar backgrounds and experiences as members of the military community.

Child care and preschool have consistently proven to be an overwhelming cost for junior enlisted service members and their families. ASYMCA offers accessible, quality child care and preschool programs at affordable rates in order to prepare children for future success by teaching social skills, creativity, literacy, and fine & gross motor skills. Child care increases the military family’s financial security and well-being by enabling military spouses to seek work outside the home or continue their education, which may lead to future employment or improved employment opportunities. As a result, service members can stay focused on their mission while their spouses and partners provide vital financial resources for their family.

Operation Holiday Joy was initially established in collaboration with Woman’s Day Magazine and their readers to raise awareness and funds for military service members and their families during the holidays. Since 2004, Operation Holiday Joy supporters have donated more than $1.3 million for military and their families, enabling the purchase and distribution of more than 320,000 toys and the delivery of more than 25,000 baskets of food to junior enlisted families in need during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

Operation Kid Comfort provides handmade quilts and pillows at no cost to the children of deployed active duty military service members. ASYMCA Volunteers craft custom-made quilts and pillows with photos of the service member to help children cope with emotional stress during a parent’s deployment. With your support we can provide comforting quilts to more children, making mom or dad feel closer to home.

Operation Ride Home provides financial assistance to active duty junior-enlisted military and their families to travel from their place of military service, back home for the holidays. Since Operation Ride Home began, a total of 6,410 individual junior enlisted service members and their family members have travelled from their bases to homes around the country for the holidays. Men and women from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard have been assisted with travel to 47 of the 50 states.