Military Family Relief Fund Mid Atlantic

Gilchrist’s Welcome Home celebration honors the veterans in our care as well as all of the veterans in our community, and coincides with Maryland’s Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day, signed into law by Governor Larry Hogan in 2015. This celebration is one of the many ways Gilchrist recognizes the unique needs of veterans and thanks them for their sacrifice and service to our country. We are proud to honor those who have served in the United States Armed Forces.

The Maryland National Guard Child and Youth Program serves children and youth ages 6-18 and provides opportunities for youth to develop their physical, social, emotional and cognitive abilities and to experience achievement, leadership, employment and friendship.

Every year, the National Guard Youth Foundation pays tribute to the National Guard and its extraordinary efforts to counter the high school dropout rate through the Youth ChalleNGe Program. The National Guard Youth Foundation hosts the annual ChalleNGe Champions event, to feature the members of the ChalleNGe community who make the program work so well. That includes members of Congress, Governors, senior National Guard and military members, corporate and community leaders, ChalleNGe staff, cadets and graduates. The event is dedicated to raising awareness of the dropout crisis and helping America’s youth get a second chance at a productive and successful life.

The Maryland National Guard Teen Council's mission is to develop leadership skills and enhance life for military children and youth of Maryland. We provide a forum for military teens, ages 13-18, to discuss ideas and offer suggestions that will positively impact the Maryland National Guard Child & Youth Program. Our role is to develop young leaders who can mentor others experiencing the same life situations and to educate the community about Guard Youth experiences. Applicants must be a Family Member of any actively serving Maryland National Guard Member and be between 13-18 years old.

Since April 2011, the Department of Defense and the Department of Agriculture have had a National Extension-Military Partnership to support Military Service Members and their families. The MD National Guard Child & Youth Program have worked to establish a cooperative partnership with the MD 4-H Extension Program. The Child & Youth Program has active partnerships in Allegany, Washington, Frederick, Montgomery, Anne Arundel and Baltimore Counties, as well as Baltimore City. Through these partnerships, CYP and 4-H Extension have been able to increase program availability in multiple counties. The partnership has generated relationships between the National Guard and 4-H youth in their local communities, and builds stronger state-level programming for both CYP and 4-H Extension.

Working with horses can provide veterans with life-changing insight and help with managing emotions, Horses can teach presence, honesty, and cooperation and help veterans unwind and renew their emotional and mental energy.

The partnership of horse and rider can offer a whole new aspect of life. Riding takes self-control, balance, and motivation. Veterans experience improved self-esteem and self-image–not all people can control such a large animal!

Horseback riding provides veterans the opportunity to escape from the daily concerns, night terrors and PTSD. Horsemanship is used to help vets gain the respect and willingness to collaborate from those with whom they live and work.

Provide support to Military Unit deployment and redeployment events.

To support the families of military who wish to

Aid our Veterans, Inc. works to help homeless and out of work veterans of all branches of military service. The organization helps veterans with job placement, shelter, emergency assistance and financial support.