Bring financial relief, affordable child care, and a community of support to military families on every base and installation across the United States.

What is Mission Military Families?

While service members carry out critical missions every day, their families face a mission of their own: long separations, relocations, constant goodbyes, and the weight of trying to hold it all together.

Mission Military Families is a national campaign from the Armed Services YMCA to ensure no family faces the hardships of military life alone. The campaign brings financial relief, affordable child care, and a constant community of support to our brave military families, especially those earliest in their careers and raising children on the tightest budgets.

Join the Campaign

Stand Behind the Families Who Stand Behind Our Troops

For 165 years, the Armed Services YMCA — yes, the YMCA — has stood beside our nation’s heroes, in moments big and small. But today, thousands of military families are still struggling on their own.

With your support, the Armed Services YMCA can expand to serve military families on all 250 bases and installations across the U.S. That means groceries when the pantry runs low. A community of support when emotions run high. And affordable child care so one parent can keep working while the other is deployed.

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Putting Military Families First

When you support the Mission Military Families campaign, you help the Armed Services YMCA ease everyday life for military families carrying the quiet weight of service.

Armed Services YMCA staff member stocks shelves in a food pantry for military families

Alleviating Financial Hardships

From extra groceries when the pantry runs low to help traveling home for the holidays, we ensure young military families, often living paycheck to paycheck, are able to thrive and ready to serve.

  • Food pantries
  • Holiday assistance (travel, meals, toys)
  • Spousal employment support
  • Access to free uniforms
  • Emergency assistance

FEED A FAMILY FOR A WEEK
An Armed Services YMCA early education teacher reads to young children

Caring for Military Kids

Military kids move as many as nine times before 12th grade. Our child care and youth programs help kids learn, make friends, and find a place where they belong, while allowing spouses to maintain stable employment.

  • Child care
  • Preschool
  • Early learning programs
  • Afterschool care
  • Summer camp

GIVE A DAY OF CHILD CARE
A junior enlisted Marine with his spouse and three daughters

Strengthening Family Well-being

Nearly half of military families feel isolated from their communities. Our programs offer stability that makes it feel more like home, helping families connect, recharge, and be together.

  • Parent connections
  • Parents’ night out
  • Social events for families and spouses
  • Y gym membership (where applicable)

SUPPORT A FAMILY

About the Armed Services YMCA

Military life demands daily sacrifices that most people cannot imagine, from long separations and relocations to the willingness to sacrifice everything without hesitation. For 165 years, the Armed Services YMCA has been easing everyday life for military families carrying the quiet weight of service. As an extended family for military families, we provide financial relief, affordable child care, and a life-changing community of support, especially for those who are earliest in their careers raising children on the tightest budgets. With the goal of making our services available at every base and installation across the United States, we will ensure more military families have the stability and support they need to thrive, everywhere they serve.

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A navy service member hugs his young son