Nonprofits give school supplies to military families

Hunt Heroes Foundation, the nonprofit organization founded by Hunt Military Communities, collaborated with Operation Homefront and its annual Back-to-School Brigade program to bring school supplies to military families in advance of the 2020 school year.

The foundation distributed 1,850 backpacks filled with school supplies throughout the month of August to Hunt Military Communities within the continental U.S., including Great Lakes Family Housing, which provides military family housing for Naval Station Great Lakes.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's Back-to-School Brigade had a different look relative to past programs, with a drive-through format to adhere with federal, state and local COVID-19 guidelines.

According to the National Retail Federation, in 2019, on average, families spent close to $700 per student for school supplies.

In addition, many schools also asked parents to contribute up to $100 per family for general use classroom materials.

When combined with other child-care costs, many military families face difficult choices about whether to ensure their children are well supplied for school or whether to purchase other essential items for their family, including clothing and food.

Hunt Heroes Foundation aims to alleviate some of the financial burden military families face when getting their children ready for school by providing backpacks with a variety of needed supplies, including pens, pencils, paper, scissors and binders, all tailored to the needs and grade levels of the children.

Hunt Military Communities, the largest military housing owner, offers service to more than 165,000 residents in approximately 52,000 homes on Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Army installations across the United States.

With a 50-year legacy and a partnership with the Department of Defense, it strives to ensure the integrity of military communities and the families who live there.

For information, visit www.huntmilitarycommunities.com.