TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Operation Homefront is spreading holiday cheer to local military families with its annual Holiday Meals for Military program.
The national nonprofit provided financial relief for 175 military families at Morris Air National Guard Base Thursday afternoon, offering a $70 gift card for groceries, gift bags with cleaning products and hygiene items, games, gingerbread house-making kits, and toys.
“This is a lifesaver,” said Clarence Hall, who serves in the Air Force and recently relocated to Tucson with his family.
"It helps us out with being able to create those memories, you know, with a lot of stuff going on in the world," Hall said. "It's good to take a step back and be thankful and be blessed for what you have."
Hall picked up items such as toilet paper and games.
“We have some good games that we can play, maybe after we finish eating Thanksgiving dinner, and a gingerbread house that we can go ahead and build,” Hall said.
Mikie Hoeye has been a team captain for Operation Homefront for 10 years in southern Arizona.
"It's saying 'thank you' for being a military family and the sacrifices that you make when when you're not around your family sometimes, especially during the holiday," Hoeye said.
The program allows families like Hall’s to create memories without worrying about the cost of essential goods, which have risen by an average of 28% over the past five years, according to the latest consumer price index report.
“Being a family of five, we can spend close to about $500 around the holidays,” Hall said.
These rising costs can place a strain on military families, with a Blue Star Families report revealing that at least one in four active-duty enlisted families experienced food insecurity last year.
“Personally, I have had to use food stipends and be on welfare while I was in the military," said Tyler Griffitts, who picked up goods at the event with his family.
"So as the costs of things have risen, it's nice not to worry about those little things," Griffitts said.
Access to a nonprofit like this serves some holiday joy to those who have served their country.
“It's very nice to be able to just come here and get a little gift and just see the smile on everyone's faces," Griffitts added.
“You want to be able to cherish those moments, you know, be thankful for the moments that we have, but of course with the economy and inflation being rough with the groceries, this is a good way to assist with it," Hall said.
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Maria Staubs joined KGUN 9 as a multimedia journalist and producer in July of 2024. Her passion for writing and storytelling stems from anchoring her middle school’s news show and editing her high school’s yearbook. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication with a minor in film and media production, as well as a master's degree in mass communication. You can email Maria at maria.staubs@kgun9.com or reach out to her on X/Twitter or Instagram.
