Operation Homefront Kicks Off Holiday Meals for Military Events

SAN ANTONIO, Nov. 24, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Operation Homefront, the national non-profit dedicated to providing emergency financial and other assistance to the families of our nation's military, next week kicks-off the first of 21 events taking place across the nation through December 19 to distribute holiday meals to military families.  Walmart is contributing cash and in-kind donations worth $250,000 to the 2014 Holiday Meals for Military program and Walmart associates are also offering their help to package holiday meal kits.

The Holiday Meals for Military program began Thanksgiving 2009 as the result of a chance encounter in a supermarket in Utica, N.Y., near Fort Drum.  A soldier, his wife, and infant had a handful of grocery items they could not afford, so a Beam Suntory employee picked up the $12 cost for the groceries.  Since that time, the program has grown from initially providing 500 meal kits to military families in 2009 to providing 8,000 this holiday season, and Beam Suntory continues to be a major supporter of the program.

The 8,000 meal kits, which include all the grocery items necessary for a full holiday meal, will be distributed to lower and mid-grade ranking military families, E-1 thru E-6, at 21 locations nationwide in December 2014, including Camp Pendleton, Calif.; Fort Benning, Ga.; Fort Campbell, Ky.; Fort Carson, Colo.; Fort Drum, N.Y.; Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Knox, Ky.; Naval Station Great Lakes, Ill.; Camp Lejeune, N.C.; Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.; and Joint Base Andrews, Md.

"Service members, and their families, in the junior enlisted ranks are often separated during the holiday season," states Tim Farrell, Chief Operating Officer for Operation Homefront. "The expenses during this time of the year, coupled with the cost of traveling to reunite with family, places an additional strain on an already stretched budget for these service members. Operation Homefront, and its sponsors, want to make the holidays easier by providing a holiday meal as part of our appreciation for the service members' sacrifices for our country."

"We are proud to work with our long-standing partner Operation Homefront to once again bring holiday meals to military families across the country," said Kathleen McLaughlin, president of the Walmart Foundation and senior vice president of Walmart Sustainability. "Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are dedicated to creating opportunities for our nation's service members and veterans year-round, through Walmart's Welcome Home Hiring Commitment and the Walmart Foundation's $20 million pledge through 2019 to support veteran employment and transition programs. Helping veterans find a meaningful career and providing holiday meals to our military families are important touch points where we can give back to those who have given the most for our country."

Distributing these meals is an important undertaking that will be carried out in military communities and at local Operation Homefront field offices across the nation.  For more information on how to volunteer or donate to the cause, please log on to www.HolidayMealsForMilitary.org.

In addition to Walmart and Beam-Suntory, major sponsors for the program include Chinet, Thirty-one, Dole, and Southern Wine & Spirits-KY.

About Operation Homefront:  A national nonprofit, Operation Homefront leads more than 2,500 volunteers with nationwide presence who provide emergency and other financial assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. Operation Homefront has provided assistance to thousands of military families since its inception in 2002. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity watchdog groups, nationally, 93 percent of total donations to Operation Homefront go directly to programs that provide support to our military families. For more information, go to www.OperationHomefront.net.

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SOURCE Operation Homefront

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http://www.operationhomefront.net