Unmet Needs

I was standing in line at Burger King a few days ago when I noticed a brochure for an organization I had never heard of before.

Unmet Needs is a program administered by the VFW and focuses on helping military families. The amazing thing about this program is the different ways you may donate assistance. We are all feeling the effects of the economy and the limits of a dollar bill today, but with Unmet Needs you may also donate your time and skills to help military families. Maybe you're a handyman who can help build a play set, or perform routine maintenance on a lawnmower or snow blower. Maybe you can cook a meal to help a busy "single" parent relax for a night. Please, please, please stop by their website and learn more.

My ONLY complaint with the group is the picture on the brochure that also appears on the front of the web page. The woman appears to be an older mom with a super conservative wardrobe. Her children are straight from a 50's American Dream image and they scream perfection. If someone can find a real military family that looks like this, let me know. A more accurate photo would be of a young woman with her hair in a pony tail wearing an old shirt that has spit-up on it. A baby propped on her hip and a second child covered in dirt from playing outside.

Maybe it is just my constant struggle with the average US citizens perceived age of our military members. It can be hard to remember that it is not a "traditional" lifestyle and the average military wife is not the average American girl getting married at 25.1 years of age.

Regardless of image, check out Unmet Needs and don't forget the military families who are also serving our great country. And if you're a military family that needs assistance, APPLY FOR HELP!