The Department of Veterans Affairs recently hosted an event commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act. This milestone celebration took place at the Virginia War Memorial, bringing together esteemed guests and attendees to pay tribute to the invaluable contributions of Women Veterans over the years.

Oftentimes, single-parent military families may feel overlooked due to the traditional network of support many married military parents receive. Forward Foundation’s services provide resources, a safe space, and unique opportunities to receive additional support needed as a single parent. Unconventional deployment and working hours oftentimes makes finding affordable and adequate child care difficult. Our childcare subsidy allows parents more options in finding the best fit for their unique needs.

It’s ingrained in veterans to serve; our organization is the perfect place to fulfill this duty and desire due to our pay-it-forward approach. We are always seeking opportunities for our families to serve, give back, and volunteer. If there are talents and hobbies that our parents possess, we encourage them to share them with our other families so they can be of support to each other. From offering cooking classes to workout classes to confidence coaching, our fellow parents truly do stand in the gap for one another!

Case in point, Erica is a Forward Foundation mom who has seen a great benefit in being part of our community. She is a busy mom with many duties on her plate including serving in the Navy and working a full-time job. As you can see in the video, she is beyond grateful for the many resources provided by our community partners during such a transitional time in her life. As she is no stranger to serving, she also has an opportunity to serve using her personal gifts and interests. Erica enjoys staying in shape and has led boot camp classes for the other moms (and their littles) to lessen the stress in their busy lives and keep them in shape.

– Soliél Lindsey