When the first wave of service members were deploying on ships in San Diego to Afghanistan following 9/11, they were asked how Operation Homefront could support them. They answered, “Take care of my family while I'm gone,” which the Southern California chapter has been doing ever since.
Operation Homefront leads more than 4,500 volunteers in 30 chapters nationwide and has provided critical assistance to tens of thousands of military families in need. The Carlsbad Business Journal sat down with Jae Marciano, president of the local chapter, to talk about the nonprofit organization's work to support our troops.
CBJ: What is the organization's mission?
Marciano: To provide emergency assistance and morale for our troops, for the families they leave behind and to the wounded warriors when they return home. Our philosophy is to help families maintain a stable and healthy life so that their loved ones overseas are able to concentrate on their jobs and mission without worrying about what is happening at home.
CBJ: What services and programs do you provide?
Marciano: We provide education, morale and emergency assistance programs to all active service members from all branches of service, including activated guard and reserve. Our emergency assistance program is our largest; we assist families with food, baby items, furniture and bills. We primarily serve enlisted ranks E1 to E6, but will review everyone on an individual basis. Families complete a simple application and then we provide whatever they need to help them through a tough time. We also provide laptops, car repair and donation, vision assistance, baby showers, spouse seminars, holiday programs and financial planning.
CBJ: How many people has your chapter helped?
Marciano: We have served more than 20,000 military families since 2002. We receive about 30 calls per day and assist about 40 families per month with our emergency assistance. We helped more than 5,000 last year in both emergency assistance and morale programs.
CBJ: Why are the services your organization provides needed?
Marciano: Military families who are in the lowest ranks need extra help once in awhile as their pay often does not meet the needs of a young family with one to two children. The military lifestyle is very unique and often challenged with deployments, relocation and limited access to community resources. A family that is transferred from Alabama to San Diego is going to see quite a difference in living expenses, yet their base pay is going to stay the same. These families are enduring years of continuous separations that are taking a toll on their marriages and children's development.
CBJ: What is unique about the nonprofit?
Marciano: The support we provide to families is not a loan, it is a gift, a way to say thank you for serving our country and being there when we need you. The least we can do is ensure the families are well taken care of while their loved one is serving our country.
CBJ: How do you measure success?
Marciano: In a few ways. One, by the looks on their faces when you hand them a Thanksgiving turkey or a bag full of Christmas presents. We just gave away four cars in June and July, and we hosted a baby shower for four Navy moms and surprised them with everything they needed for the first year of life. Those moments are unforgettable. Second, the children love the holiday programs and all of the attention they get. They need to know how special they are and be proud that their mom or dad serves in the military.
CBJ: What needs does the organization have?
Marciano: We have needs every day. We post them on our Web site and hope the community responds. San Diego is a very military supportive community and we are grateful for that as we would not be able to do what we do without the community's contributions. We always need furniture, baby items, non-perishable food, cars and grocery store and gas gift cards. Our morale events are sponsored by our corporate partners and we are always seeking out companies that want to help with those. We need volunteers to help in our office at events and assist families with applications.
CBJ: What do you see for the future of your chapter?
Marciano: Major growth. We have been expanding our services to all of the 20 bases that we cover, so my hope is to keep up the great programs we have here in San Diego and make them more available to families that are stationed out in more remote areas of California.
CBJ: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Marciano: We have been given a four-star rating by Charity Navigator and work hard to keep our overhead low so that our donations go directly to programs. We are always seeking companies to help us maintain our programs by giving unrestricted funds.
Operation Homefront:
(866) 424-8610
www.operationhomefront.net/socal
Operation Homefront leads more than 4,500 volunteers in 30 chapters nationwide and has provided critical assistance to tens of thousands of military families in need. The Carlsbad Business Journal sat down with Jae Marciano, president of the local chapter, to talk about the nonprofit organization's work to support our troops.
CBJ: What is the organization's mission?
Marciano: To provide emergency assistance and morale for our troops, for the families they leave behind and to the wounded warriors when they return home. Our philosophy is to help families maintain a stable and healthy life so that their loved ones overseas are able to concentrate on their jobs and mission without worrying about what is happening at home.
CBJ: What services and programs do you provide?
Marciano: We provide education, morale and emergency assistance programs to all active service members from all branches of service, including activated guard and reserve. Our emergency assistance program is our largest; we assist families with food, baby items, furniture and bills. We primarily serve enlisted ranks E1 to E6, but will review everyone on an individual basis. Families complete a simple application and then we provide whatever they need to help them through a tough time. We also provide laptops, car repair and donation, vision assistance, baby showers, spouse seminars, holiday programs and financial planning.
CBJ: How many people has your chapter helped?
Marciano: We have served more than 20,000 military families since 2002. We receive about 30 calls per day and assist about 40 families per month with our emergency assistance. We helped more than 5,000 last year in both emergency assistance and morale programs.
CBJ: Why are the services your organization provides needed?
Marciano: Military families who are in the lowest ranks need extra help once in awhile as their pay often does not meet the needs of a young family with one to two children. The military lifestyle is very unique and often challenged with deployments, relocation and limited access to community resources. A family that is transferred from Alabama to San Diego is going to see quite a difference in living expenses, yet their base pay is going to stay the same. These families are enduring years of continuous separations that are taking a toll on their marriages and children's development.
CBJ: What is unique about the nonprofit?
Marciano: The support we provide to families is not a loan, it is a gift, a way to say thank you for serving our country and being there when we need you. The least we can do is ensure the families are well taken care of while their loved one is serving our country.
CBJ: How do you measure success?
Marciano: In a few ways. One, by the looks on their faces when you hand them a Thanksgiving turkey or a bag full of Christmas presents. We just gave away four cars in June and July, and we hosted a baby shower for four Navy moms and surprised them with everything they needed for the first year of life. Those moments are unforgettable. Second, the children love the holiday programs and all of the attention they get. They need to know how special they are and be proud that their mom or dad serves in the military.
CBJ: What needs does the organization have?
Marciano: We have needs every day. We post them on our Web site and hope the community responds. San Diego is a very military supportive community and we are grateful for that as we would not be able to do what we do without the community's contributions. We always need furniture, baby items, non-perishable food, cars and grocery store and gas gift cards. Our morale events are sponsored by our corporate partners and we are always seeking out companies that want to help with those. We need volunteers to help in our office at events and assist families with applications.
CBJ: What do you see for the future of your chapter?
Marciano: Major growth. We have been expanding our services to all of the 20 bases that we cover, so my hope is to keep up the great programs we have here in San Diego and make them more available to families that are stationed out in more remote areas of California.
CBJ: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Marciano: We have been given a four-star rating by Charity Navigator and work hard to keep our overhead low so that our donations go directly to programs. We are always seeking companies to help us maintain our programs by giving unrestricted funds.
Operation Homefront:
(866) 424-8610
www.operationhomefront.net/socal