Blue Star Stories

Why We Need New Official Government Proclamations of Military Family Support

Blue Star Welcome Week continues to gain support from leaders in communities across the country – leaders who see and recognize the challenges military and Veteran families face and encourage…

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Schlotzsky’s Welcomes Military Families to the Neighborhood

Once upon a time, there was a nonprofit named Blue Star Families, founded by military families for military families. Every year, Blue Star Families would hear peers say, “We’re isolated…

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How Volunteering is Helping One Military Spouse Rebuild Community

If you’ve ever moved, then you’re likely no stranger to the anxieties of being new in town. For military families who move every two to three years on average, it’s…

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Healing Wounds with Support: A Purple Heart Story

  “Six months later, I woke up in Germany, not knowing who my parents were because of the extent of injuries that I endured. So, I was out in Germany…

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What You Should Know About Kimberly, the New Housing Insecurity DEPLOY Fellow

As the 2022 Wells Fargo Housing Insecurity DEPLOY Fellow, Kimberly has a lot to offer military families.  For starters, she understands military families. Her mother was the first Korean female…

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Military Families: Look to Your Library as a Valuable and Welcoming Resource

Authors: Barry Trott, M.S.L.S., Library of Virginia     Nicole Rawlinson, M.L.I.S., Blue Star Families When it comes to moving, military families know all the ins and outs. The average…

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From Adversity to Advocate, Get to Know Marla Bautista

Marla Bautista, an Army wife and mother of three, knows firsthand that advocacy can play an important role in building a stronger, more supported community. That’s because she was once…

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The Challenge of Family Building and How Military Spouses Can Help

When Laci married her Air Force service member, she was informed her family building journey would be difficult and conceiving a child naturally wasn’t likely.  Laci’s story, though heartbreaking, is…

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Blue Star Welcome Week: A Community-Building Event for Military Families

By: Marla Bautista Moving to a new duty station can be an exciting, but sometimes difficult transition for military families, especially those with small children or those who don’t have…

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How Eating Together Improves Nourishment & Connection

Between working late, kids activities, and other obligations, a packed family schedule may mean less time to sit down and have a meal together. For military families, that time to…

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