Operation Homefront

Operation Homefront builds strong, stable and secure military families so they can thrive in the communities they work so hard to protect. By connecting the American donor community (individuals, foundations and corporations) to our military families through robust array of valued and life-changing programs that address the specific short-term, critical assistance, long-term stability and recurring family support needs they experience, Operation Homefront is able to help military families overcome many of the challenges inherent in military life. The result: stronger, more stable and more secure military families.

OH’s vision is to be the provider of choice for short-term critical financial assistance, long-term

Goal One: Generate the revenue needed to accomplish our vital mission.

Goal Two: Invest in outreach to expand the awareness of our important work to ensure military families know how to seek assistance and donors know how to provide assistance.

Goal Three: Build a trust-based environment that allows all our staff, volunteers, board/council members, donors, and other partners-to feel valued for their individual contributions to our collective success.

Operation Homefront believes that our people are our most important resource. We incorporate development courses into each staff members annual performance plan and have mandatory recurring education through our OH University focusing on driver safety, IT security, preventing sexual harassment, active shooter, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Each year, Operation Homefront holds a Leadership Conference to bring together its managers and senior leaders to receive outside training on topics such as communication and collaboration, and to present and plan the following year. In 2021, we have launched a full Professional Development program that aims to offer professional development to all employees – with courses and resources to allow them to reach their full potential – and has partnered with Resilience-Building Leadership program to offer certified leadership training to a selected number of our staff.

No one could have known 2020 would become the year of a global pandemic. As military families experienced the additional financial strain created by the COVID-19 pandemic, they continued to turn to OH for relief. When the first lockdowns went into effect in March 2020, OH quickly shifted to a remote work environment for most staff and implemented our Continuity of Operations Plan to determine key staff needed in various on-site locations to maintain the integrity of the organization. We quickly developed a robust communications plan with the initial goal of reminding the families we serve and our supporters that our unwavering commitment to our mission held firm and we were able to continue our important work. We were able to shift our key resiliency and recurring support programs from in-person to virtual or drive-through, maintaining our ability to meet the needs military families in spite of the pandemic. When the year came to close, we had fulfilled over 1,500 COVID-related requests for help, across 39 states and Puerto Rico, providing nearly $1 million in much-needed financial assistance. The Veteran Caregiver Support program hosted virtual retreats, support groups and created three new fully virtual support groups. By combining virtual with in-person, drive-thru events that adhered to safety protocols, OH was able to serve our families in new, innovative ways to continue Star-Spangled Babies, Back-to-School Brigade, and Holiday Meals for Military events that were fun and safe for families. Our Critical Financial Assistance program broadened to include COVID-19 related requests, funding over $985,000 in assistance to help families pay essential bills such as mortgage, utilities, car payments, emergency home repairs, and food items. We prerecorded video messages from OH leadership and partners so when new homeowners in our Permanent Homes for Veterans program walked through the door of their donated home for the first time, they received a personal welcome.