Published: June 3, 2026
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May was Military Appreciation Month, and it was a time of powerful action and partnership. Get your monthly look at the people, programs, and moments shaping Blue Star Families across the country.
Governor Stein Amplifies Do Your Part. North Carolina Governor Josh Stein used his Military Appreciation Month column to highlight military families and North Carolina's commitment as a Do Your Part State, extending the initiative's reach through statewide and national media placements.
SPOTTED: Blue Star Families CEO Kathy Roth-Douquet, Bill Bailey, Senior Vice President of Government Relations for Disney, Mickey Mouse, Belle from Beauty and the Beast, and Buzz Lightyear star of Toy Story joined more than 500 military-connected family members at the largest Disney and BSF Blue Star Books event in program history. The celebration at the Library of Congress highlighted Disney's continued investment in military families.
National TV Spotlight. Blue Star Families appeared on both American Idol and Good Morning America, helping bring military family stories to audiences nationwide during Military Appreciation Month.
Guggenheim's Seal of Approval. The Guggenheim Museum spotlighted Blue Star Museums on Instagram, helping showcase the program to its 2.8 million followers and amplifying awareness of free museum access for military families.
MSE Makes Waves. Our Military Spouse Employment Report is catching the eye of Yahoo! Finance, with the big news that only 22% of military spouses stayed employed full time over three years of the survey. It's a call for flexible careers. Help us drive change by sharing the post on LinkedIn.
Do Your Part in Action. Jenny Akin represented Blue Star Families on a featured Association of Defense Communities panel discussing the Do Your Part State Initiative. Joining the conversation were Dana Burl, Deputy Secretary, Military Family Policy and Programs, Maryland, Olivia Burley, Washington State Military Spouse Liaison, Jennifer Holliday, Alabama Military Family Liaison, and Michael Miller, Family Programs, Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs, who shared how states are strengthening support for military families through policy and community action.
A Champion for the Movement. A special thank you to Craig Newmark for his continued leadership and commitment to expanding awareness of the Do Your Part movement. His support is helping bring military family issues to new audiences and encouraging more communities, organizations, and leaders to take action on behalf of those who serve.
Disney on the Hill. Blue Star Families in partnership with Disney brought military family support directly to Capitol Hill on May 14. Members of Congress, staff, BSF volunteers and Disney VoluntEARS assembled 1,000 welcome kits for military kids.
Nourish the Service. Filming wrapped on a new story featuring a military family and TV host and culinary storyteller Capri S. Cafaro as part of our partnership with Instacart. Check out the stories and family recipes.
Starbucks' Double Impact. In honor of Military Appreciation Month, Starbucks donated $5 to Blue Star Families for every Military Appreciation eGift purchased. Then, on Military Spouse Appreciation Day (May 8), BSF co-hosted more than 100 in-person events at Starbucks coffeehouses nationwide and delivered Starbucks eGifts to 4,000 military spouses to say “Thanks a Latte.” These efforts helped us welcome 1,800+ new members into the Blue Star Neighborhood — where they now have access to free programs, events, and resources.
Honoring the Fallen. Ross Cohen represented Blue Star Families at the Memorial Day Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery and laid a Blue Star Families wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in honor of America's fallen service members.
Rally for the Maryland Chapter! Cast your vote for a community campaign in honor of America’s 250th to help us secure up to $50,000 in grants.
Tampa Bay Leadership. Congratulations to Suzy Malloy, Executive Director of the Tampa Chapter, who graduated from Leadership Tampa and was selected to deliver the commencement speech.
Scholar Recognition. Congratulations to Vicky Perkins, Vice President of Programs, selected as a Scholar for the Stand To Veteran Leadership Program.
Trojan Pride. Ashley Saville, Senior Vice President of Sports + Entertainment Partnerships, graduated from USC this month with her MBA and delivered remarks to her graduating class.
- 2.8 million followers reached through the Guggenheim Museum's Blue Star Museums spotlight.
- 500+ military-connected children and family members attended the largest Blue Star Books event in program history.
- 200+ new members joined Blue Star Careers this month, with more than 150 members requesting access to upskilling and certification opportunities through Google AI and Coursera.
Posted In: Media, Our Stories, Partners, Policy, Press