Submitted by Support The Enlisted Project.
TACOMA, WA – The holidays can be a magical time, but for military and veteran families, the season often comes with added stress. To help ease the financial strain, Support the Enlisted Project’s (STEP) “Sharing the Joy” holiday program matches junior enlisted military and veteran families with donors to help make their holiday wishes come true.
One of the organization’s flagship annual events, the 2024 “Sharing the Joy” campaign aims to assist about 100 junior enlisted military and veteran families this year. The registered families complete a holiday wish list that STEP shares with individuals and corporate donors who then have the opportunity to shop to fulfill the items on their adopted family’s list. Military families (E1-E6 enlisted) or recently transitioned veteran families (within 18 months of separation) can apply to participate in the “Sharing the Joy” program through Nov. 30, 2024.
When they sign up to help, donors can choose the size of the family they support and the amount they wish to spend. STEP welcomes donors from across the region – individuals, businesses, churches, and community organizations – and asks them to register online to adopt a military family by Nov. 22, 2024, to allow ample time for family matching and gift delivery.
Gifts for adopted families must be received by STEP by Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 5 p.m. Donors using the Amazon wish list will be able to send the items directly to STEP. For donors in the Seattle and Tacoma area who would like to drop off items in person, please contact STEP Donor Engagement and Gifts Officer Ron Desmarais via email at ron.desmarais@teamstepusa.org.
Wish list items include gifts that seem out of reach for parents and families, including knife sets, crockpots, tool kits, as well as age-appropriate popular toys for kids like dolls, action figurines, and more.
“Food insecurity among military families in our region is reaching critical levels, especially this time of year,” says STEP Programs Coordinator (Washington) Kia Thompson. “STEP’s ‘Sharing the Joy’ campaign gives military families here in Washington the opportunity to have a joyous holiday season, and provides peace of mind to our nation’s heroes and their families who safeguard our country.”
STEP is a nonprofit organization created by military veterans to provide financial support services for young military and veteran families, helping them build budget plans to reduce stress and achieve goals—during the holidays and year-round. A community-funded organization, STEP has positively impacted over 290,000 military lives since its inception in 2012.
STEP’s Emergency Financial Assistance program helps young military and veteran families establish or enhance their financial security, offering more than a band-aid solution to a personal financial crisis. The program includes a social worker—who is also a certified financial counselor with lived military experience—assigned to work one-on-one with military and veteran clients to tackle their unique financial circumstances.
STEP helps families grow the confidence and skills to improve their financial wellness permanently, helping to combat food insecurity, homelessness, mental and physical health conditions, suicide, and other crises through counseling, education, and financial support.
For more information on STEP’s “Sharing the Joy” program, visit www.teamstepusa.org/sharingthejoy.
