TYSONS, Va.–The PenFed Foundation said it is providing Veterans One-stop Center, a non-profit that offers a comprehensive portfolio of supportive services designed for veterans and their families, with a grant for a peer support program for children of military parents.
The PenFed Foundation is a national nonprofit that exists to empower veterans as they transition from military service to success in civilian life. It was created in 2001 and said it has since provided more than $55 million in financial support to veterans, active-duty service members, families, and caregivers.
“The PenFed Foundation recognizes that family members sacrifice when a loved one serves, so we are honored to demonstrate our appreciation through action,” PenFed Foundation President Andrea McCarren said in a statement. “The Foundation is proud to support Veterans One-stop Center for its efforts to assist children and their parents with the challenging transitions that come with military life.”
The Peer Support Program for Children of Military Parents helps military children transition to civilian life and helps tackle the unique issues of those whose parent(s) serve in the military. It is designed to increase resiliency among children and enhance their emotional and social well-being by developing a peer network of children with similar experiences.
The program provides military children and their families a safe space to meet new friends, connect with military families, and bond with one another to increase their peer support network.
According to the foundation, activities are designed to develop and encourage positive socialization and emphasize treatment of each child with kindness and respect, which strengthens their self-esteem and builds confidence. The program focuses on positive self-expression through art, play, projects, and activities, which are therapeutic and enhance creativity to empower children to adapt to their surroundings and build healthy coping skills.
“Families and the kids are so important in our military community and too often overlooked,” said Veterans One-stop Center Director of Veteran Engagement Dan Arnold. “We believe that they are affected just as much as the service member when deployed. The military spouse has to keep the home front running smoothly so when the service member returns from a stressful deployment, their home is healthy and non-stressful. The children miss their parent who has deployed, and the spouse has to do extra to fill in for them. We believe that having a program designed around the military families fills a huge gap in veteran services.”