July 28th, 2020

Hunt Heroes Foundation and Operation Homefront Collaborate to Support Military Families this Back to School Season

El PASO – July 27, 2020 – Hunt Heroes Foundation (HHF), the non-profit organization founded by Hunt Military Communities (HMC), announced today its support of Operation Homefront and its annual Back-to-School Brigade^Ⓡ program to bring school supplies to military families in advance of the upcoming 2020 school year. HHF will be delivering 1,850 backpacks filled with school supplies and distributing them throughout the month of August to HMC communities within the continental U.S.

Operation Homefront is a national nonprofit organization that provides military families with critical financial assistance, transitional and permanent housing, and recurring family support programs throughout the year. HMC has a committed and long-standing relationship with the military community and understands the challenges that affect military families. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Back-to-School Brigade^Ⓡ will have a different look relative to past programs, with a drive-through format, to adhere with federal, state, and local COVID-19 guidelines.

According to the National Retail Federation, in 2019, on average, families spent close to $700 per student for school supplies. In addition, many schools also asked parents to contribute up to $100 per family for general use classroom materials. When combined with other childcare costs, many military families face difficult choices about whether to ensure their children are well supplied for school or whether to purchase other essential items for their family, including clothing and food. 

“Operation Homefront is proud that Hunt Military Communities is helping bring our Back-to-School Brigade® program to military families in their communities,” said Robin Miller, Senior Director, Operation Homefront.  “With their support, we are able to distribute backpacks filled with school supplies to those who have given so much on behalf of all Americans and ensure their children have the tools for a successful start to the school year.”

Through the event, HHF aims to alleviate some of the financial burden military families face when getting their kids ready for school by providing backpacks with a variety of needed supplies, including pens, pencils, paper, scissors, and binders all tailored to the needs and grade levels of the children.

“We are honored to partner with Operation Homefront on an initiative that will support military families during this uniquely challenging back-to-school season,” said John Ehle, President of Hunt Military Communities. “It is our goal to make the process as seamless as possible for parents and make sure that their children are prepared to start the new school year, whether it’s virtually or in-person.”

This year, Operation Homefront will provide its 400,000^th backpack with school supplies to a military child, saving military families more than $50 million in back-to-school expenses since the program launched in 2008.

About Hunt Heroes Foundation

Formed in 2018, the Hunt Heroes Foundation proudly serves military families, partners and communities through opportunities and ideas generated by our people and partnerships. Together, the HHF will discover new ways to ensure we help bring a positive change to the communities in which we live and work.

About Hunt Military Communities

Hunt Military Communities, the largest military housing owner, offers unsurpassed quality and service to more than 165,000 residents in approximately 52,000 homes on Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Army installations across the USA. We do this through our core values: safety, kindness, efficiency, enthusiasm and selflessness and our 5-Star Service commitment.  With a 50-year legacy and a partnership with the Department of Defense, HMC strives to ensure the integrity of our military communities and the families who live there.  For more information, visit www.huntmilitarycommunities.com.

About Operation Homefront

Founded in 2002, Operation Homefront is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families so that they can thrive – not simply struggle to get by – in the communities they have worked so hard to protect. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity oversight groups, over 90 percent of Operation Homefront expenditures go directly to programs that support tens of thousands of military families each year. Operation Homefront provides critical financial assistance, transitional and permanent housing and family support services to prevent short-term needs from turning into chronic, long-term struggles. Thanks to the generosity of our donors and the support from thousands of volunteers, Operation Homefront proudly serves America’s military families. For more information, visit OperationHomefront.org.