Five & Thrive

For military spouses, balancing work and family life hinges on finding the right childcare resources. In our October SITREP, we explore childcare through the eyes of our military families. Shannon’s story highlights how essential childcare resources helped with employment, emphasizing that adequate care is crucial for balancing work and family obligations. When Shannon’s childcare needs spiked during her husband’s deployment, she turned to the Dependent Care Flexible Savings Account for help. By planning ahead, she found relief in managing care costs while working full-time. Read Shannon’s and other families’ perspectives on how military families can thrive with the right support at https://bit.ly/3zQRIpe.

Military spouse career opportunities in tech just got a major boost! CNM Ingenuity, in partnership with NextFlex and the Kirtland Partnership Committee (KPC), has launched an 18-month pilot program designed to enhance career opportunities for military spouses while also meeting critical workforce needs in the tech sector! Starting in October 2024, this initiative fully covers tuition and provides a $2,000 stipend for military spouses enrolled in CNM Ingenuity's Internet of Things and Rapid Prototyping Bootcamp. This intensive 10-week program equips participants with the skills needed to jumpstart their careers in tech. The goal? To provide career-ready training and connect graduates with local employers through the KPC network, helping to fill staffing needs while empowering military spouses. This is a fantastic example of how community partnerships can create win-win opportunities - supporting the professional growth of military spouses while fulfilling local business staffing requirements. Learn more about the Deep Dive Coding 10-week boot camp at https://lnkd.in/g8-iYKue. Find more Community Solutions like this at https://lnkd.in/eixSA5hv. #FiveAndThrive #QX #SpouseEmployment #CommunitySolutions

Whether it’s a FaceTime call, a care package, or a message in the middle of the night, it’s these small moments of connection that keep families strong and remind us that love and support have no boundaries. We work to create these same vital moments of connection between military leaders, community partners, and military families to tackle the top five quality of life issues in childcare, education, healthcare, housing, and spouse employment. We can work together to build a strong foundation of support that keeps families feeling connected, despite the distance. Learn more at fiveandthrive.org. #FiveAndThrive #NationalDayOfTheDeployed

This episode of the Military OneSource Podcast introduces MilitaryChildCare.com, the Defense Department’s request-for-care management system. This platform was developed to serve as a centralized hub for military families in search of affordable, accessible, and quality childcare. Families can create a profile on MilitaryChildCare.com and use it to explore childcare options, particularly when preparing for an upcoming PCS.

Upwards is dedicated to supporting Guard and Reserve families in finding reliable, affordable childcare. The organization also helps childcare providers build sustainable businesses and enables employers to offer valuable childcare benefits. Through its technology-driven marketplace and partnerships with government entities, experience how Upwards simplifies the search for quality care, including access to sponsored options: https://lnkd.in/giXccZub

Five & Thrive, along with our champion, Sharene Brown, had the honor of attending the first national Military Thriving Change Forum, co-hosted by Georgetown University and ZeroMils. This event brought together leaders from across public, private, and nonprofit sectors to develop a blueprint for improving military recruitment and shifting perceptions around military service. With a focus on the value of service and communicating the strengths of our military-connected families, we’re excited to connect with military leaders and community partners to support all military families! Thank you to Georgetown University, ZeroMils, and Wells Fargo for leading such an impactful initiative! #fiveandthrive #militarythriving

Military families have several options to help with the cost of childcare, no matter where they are stationed. Military Child Care allows families to search and apply for military-run programs, which use a sliding fee scale based on family income. Search for financial assistance based on your location at https://lnkd.in/gX6B6XKS. If military childcare isn’t available, fee assistance programs for each service branch can help with off-base options. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/gg6NMSB8.

United Through Reading's Storytime With a Service Member Veteran's Day Classroom Initiative is back! Share with your communities and get your stories in now. You can impact even more children this year! https://lnkd.in/g86ZfBEu #fiveandthive #education

Affordable childcare can pave the way for financial stability and a place to call home. In our October SITREP, we explore childcare through the eyes of our military families. Natasha’s story highlights how essential childcare resources helped with housing, demonstrating that access to affordable care can alleviate financial pressures on military families. Natasha’s path to homeownership was eased by the financial relief of childcare fee assistance through The Operation Child Care Project (OCCP). Her perseverance paid off, and now she encourages other families to seek the support they need. Read Natasha’s and other families’ perspectives on how military families can thrive with the right support at https://lnkd.in/gz6G9W34.

We are thrilled to see familiar faces on The Mighty Top 25! A huge congratulations to Corie Weathers, Kayla Corbitt, Kristen Christy, and Kevin Schmiegel, whose work continues to inspire and impact the military community in meaningful ways. We’ve had the honor of collaborating with each of these incredible pioneers and know their leadership is transforming lives and creating lasting change. Learn more about the Top 25 Military Pioneers and Changemakers of 2024 at https://lnkd.in/ean-bDBt. #FiveAndThrive #Mighty25