Nourish the Service
Home » Nourish the Service
Addressing food insecurity in military and veteran families.
Food insecurity is a complicated issue, and several factors give rise to its prevalence across all military- and Veteran-connected families - no matter their rank. Research is just now starting to catch up to what is already known:
The unique challenges that service members, past and present, and their families face - from spouse un- and underemployment, to child care costs, student loans, and out-of-pocket living expenses - contribute to the complexities that lead to the inaccessibility of nutritious foods.
That is why Blue Star Families is committed to making food insecurity a thing of the past by rallying around military and Veteran families, delivering military and civilian resources to those in need and empowering them to thrive.
#BSFNourishTheService
Resources
- Feeding America: Find Local Food Banks
- Military Family Advisory Network (MFAN): Food Assistance
- Armed Services YMCA Food Assistance and Emergency Food Relief
- Operation Homefront: Critical Financial Assistance
- WhyHunger
- No Kid Hungry: Free Meals Finder
- Meals on Wheels: Meal Provider Search
- National WIC Association
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Food and Nutrition Service Resources
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Food and Nutrition Service State Contact Map
- Little Free Pantry / Mini Pantry Movement Map
- FoodFinder.us
- Freefood.org
- Defense Commissary Agency
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Economic Research Service
- Center for Strategic & International Studies: Food Insecurity Among U.S. Veterans and Military Families
- Military Leaders Economic Security Toolkit
- MAZON: Leading the Charge to Remove Barriers for Military Families
- National Resource Directory
- US Department of Veteran Affairs Nutrition and Food Services
Articles
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…
Saving Money During Back-to-School Season
Many families are feeling stressed and financially strained by inflation and supply chain issues. Amid these challenges, families are prioritizing back-to-school spending. In fact, the National Retail Federation estimates that…
Strengthening Food Security in the Force: Strategy and Roadmap
The TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read) Version In November 2021, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin issued a memo, “Strengthening Economic Security in the Force.” It directed the following actions: increase…
More Than a Grocery Store: Everything You Need to Know About the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA)
In the military world, summer is the unofficial “PCS season.” Each year, about 600,000 military families relocate through a permanent change of station (PCS) or transition out of the military.…
Your Voice Matters: The Importance of Participating in the 2022 Military Family Lifestyle Survey
Since 2009, Blue Star Families has been providing a comprehensive understanding of the experiences and challenges encountered by military families through the annual Military Family Lifestyle Survey (aMFLS). The results:…
Military Kids, Childhood Food Insecurity, and Resources to Help
Military Kids, Childhood Food Insecurity, and Resources to Help Military children are the highlight of the month of April. When military families serve around the world, military kids serve, too–moving…
Blue Star Families' Nourish the Service program sponsored by:
