'The Tackifier' Blog by FindTape

May is National Military Appreciation Month, and perhaps it's not so surprising that this is the month we've chosen to honor the men, women, and their families who have or are serving our country. After all, May includes some important observances: Loyalty Day (May 1), VE Day (May 8), Military Spouse Appreciation Day (May 8), Armed Forces Day (May 16), and Memorial Day (May 25).

At FindTape.com, this month is important to us because of our strong connections to military personnel and veterans. As I've mentioned before, I have both family and friends who are veterans, and many military divisions are customers of FindTape.com.

National Military Association Month gives all Americans an opportunity "to honor, remember, recognize, and appreciate those who serve and have served.... It recognizes those on active duty in all branches of the services, the National Guard and Reserves plus retirees, veterans, and all of their families - well over 90 million Americans and more than 230 years of our nation’s history."

Note the inclusion of the word, families. We often forget how much military families contribute to the cause of freedom. When a spouse or parent is deployed, it's the spouse and the children who are left behind and who must manage the tasks of daily life on their own. They're the ones with an empty chair at the dinner table, or only one set of hands to tuck the kids into bed.

But it's not just the absence of a conversation or a helping hand that they miss. Many military families also experience financial struggles. Whether a spouse is deployed or returned home injured, military spouses may have a difficult time paying the water bill or the mortgage. These families shouldn't have to bear the burden of war alone. This is why, at FindTape.com, we've made a commitment to help military families.

Recently, we announced our support of Operation Homefront, which provides assistance to make the lives of military families better. We've partnered with this organization because of the tremendous impact it has had on military families.

Here's just a small sample of how successful some of Operation Homefront's programs are:

• The Emergency Assistance Program provided grants to more than 2,700 military families, totaling $4.8 million in 2014. With these grants, families were able to buy food, pay water bills, and keep their homes.
• The Homes on the Homefront program, in partnership with major banks and a homebuilder, moved 138 military families into permanent, mortgage-free homes in 2014. And another 
89 families successfully completed their transition plans and received the deeds to their homes.
• The Hearts of Valor™ program, which provides support to caregivers of wounded warriors, welcomed 836 new members in 2014, for a total membership of 2,369. The program includes 50 support groups across the country.

Operation Homefront operates very efficiently – with 92% of its expenditures going directly to programs for military families. This type of stewardship shows great dedication to making a difference in the lives of military families. Yet, the work of this organization wouldn't be possible without financial support.

And we believe we can help. From May 22 to May 28, 2015, for each purchase a customer makes on FindTape.com, FindTape.com will donate 10% of the total merchandise price to Operation Homefront. We plan to donate up to $10,000 to the nonprofit over the week of the Memorial Day holiday this year.

It's our way to give back to this great community, and to say thank you to the men, women, and families who serve our country.

More about Operation Homefront

A national nonprofit, Operation Homefront leads more than 2,500 volunteers with nationwide presence who provide emergency and other financial assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. Operation Homefront has provided assistance to thousands of military families since its inception in 2002. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity watchdog groups, nationally, 92 percent of Operation Homefront's expenditures go directly to programs that provide support to our military families.