Operation Kilroy

AREA OF NEED: When the men and women of our Armed Forces take the oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States, their families are right behind them taking an oath to support them as well. In these difficult times, with an ongoing war and economic woes, military families are having a much more difficult time during the holidays than in years past. More often than not, Christmas charities and toy drives that are operating lack the personal focus and attention to specific families needs and wants.

Military families face an even tougher burden of having a parent deployed for long lengths of time, living on income that trails what most civilian families make, and due to transfers and relocations, live in areas where their families, friends and other support groups are not readily available. Magnify all of this with an economic recession, and a bleak picture begins to emerge for military families with children. Currently, there is no agency or program within the area that specifically addresses military families and the challenges that they face for Christmas.

PROGRAM SUMMARY AND PROPOSAL: Operation Kilroy’s Christmas is one of four support programs that Swing for Vets, Inc., is launching for fiscal year 2009 to support veterans and military families. Operation Kilroy’s Christmas is a program and fundraiser that will select and adopt a certain number of military and veteran families with children in the local Seacoast NH region that display exceptional need. These families will be selected from social service and human resource contacts in place, with the Pease ANG Family Support Services, and from other government contacts.

The intended mechanisms to support Operation Kilroy’s Christmas are direct fundraisers, as well as a holiday toy drive. The parent Swing for Vets, Inc., hosts an annual charity golf scramble tournament, with proceeds expected to be divided into each of the four support programs, including Operation Kilroy’s Christmas. The main fundraiser for Operation Kilroy’s Christmas will be a spaghetti dinner that will also feature an auction and raffles for items and services solicited from businesses. The funds that are raised will directly be used to purchase toys and gifts for the adopted families.

GOAL: The primary goal of Operation Kilroy’s Christmas is to sponsor and support financially burdened veteran and military families with children by providing gifts for the Christmas holidays, thereby tying into the overall mission of the Swing for Vets Group – supporting the men and women of our armed forces and their families who have done so much in support of this nation.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of Operation Kilroy’s Christmas are the same as those of the overall Swing for Vets organization: i.e. - to help support military and veterans and their families. More specifically, to allow dependants of military families to experience the joy of Christmas; to play an active role in the development of one of our nation's most valuable natural resources - our children; to unite all members of the local community in a common cause; and to contribute to improving our community for the future.

ACTIVITIES:

Adopt a Military Family and Toy Distribution: This is the process of obtaining and delivering toys to local military and veteran families with children with need. Toys will be a combination of those purchased by Operation Kilroy’s Christmas and those donated by the public and businesses.

Community and Media Information Campaign: Operation Kilroy’s Christmas will conduct an annual public information and education campaign. This activity is designed to give the general public a clear understanding of the benefits that accrue to individual families and to the community from Swing for Vets. It’s intended purpose is to increase visibility and name recognition and stimulate the general public to action in support of Operation Kilroy’s Christmas.


Operation Kilroy's Christmas
	AREA OF NEED: When the men and women of our Armed Forces take the oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States, their families are right behind them taking an oath to support them as well. In these difficult times, with an ongoing war and economic woes, military families are having a much more difficult time during the holidays than in years past. More often than not, Christmas charities and toy drives that are operating lack the personal focus and attention to specific families needs and wants. Military families face an even tougher burden of having a parent deployed for long lengths of time, living on income that trails what most civilian families make, and due to transfers and relocations, live in areas where their families, friends and other support groups are not readily available. Magnify all of this with an economic recession, and a bleak picture begins to emerge for military families with children. Currently, there is no agency or program within the area that specifically addresses military families and the challenges that they face for Christmas. PROGRAM SUMMARY AND PROPOSAL: Operation Kilroy’s Christmas is one of four support programs that Swing for Vets, Inc., is launching for fiscal year 2009 to support veterans and military families. Operation Kilroy’s Christmas is a program and fundraiser that will select and adopt a certain number of military and veteran families with children in the local Seacoast NH region that display exceptional need. These families will be selected from social service and human resource contacts in place, with the Pease ANG Family Support Services, and from other government contacts. The intended mechanisms to support Operation Kilroy’s Christmas are direct fundraisers, as well as a holiday toy drive. The parent Swing for Vets, Inc., hosts an annual charity golf scramble tournament, with proceeds expected to be divided into each of the four support programs, including Operation Kilroy’s Christmas. The main fundraiser for Operation Kilroy’s Christmas will be a spaghetti dinner that will also feature an auction and raffles for items and services solicited from businesses. The funds that are raised will directly be used to purchase toys and gifts for the adopted families. GOAL: The primary goal of Operation Kilroy’s Christmas is to sponsor and support financially burdened veteran and military families with children by providing gifts for the Christmas holidays, thereby tying into the overall mission of the Swing for Vets Group – supporting the men and women of our armed forces and their families who have done so much in support of this nation. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of Operation Kilroy’s Christmas are the same as those of the overall Swing for Vets organization: i.e. - to help support military and veterans and their families. More specifically, to allow dependants of military families to experience the joy of Christmas; to play an active role in the development of one of our nation's most valuable natural resources - our children; to unite all members of the local community in a common cause; and to contribute to improving our community for the future. ACTIVITIES: Adopt a Military Family and Toy Distribution: This is the process of obtaining and delivering toys to local military and veteran families with children with need. Toys will be a combination of those purchased by Operation Kilroy’s Christmas and those donated by the public and businesses. Community and Media Information Campaign: Operation Kilroy’s Christmas will conduct an annual public information and education campaign. This activity is designed to give the general public a clear understanding of the benefits that accrue to individual families and to the community from Swing for Vets. It’s intended purpose is to increase visibility and name recognition and stimulate the general public to action in support of Operation Kilroy’s Christmas.