Our Military Kids

Our Military Kids Funding activities for military children during a parent's National Guard or Reserve deployment or a parent's care for combat-related injuries or illness.
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06/17/2026

As you're watching the FIFA World Cup, keep an eye out for Our Military Kids beneficiary Miah, who co-stars with Leo Messi in a national ad campaign! ⚽️

Miah and her siblings have each received multiple Our Military Kids activity awards to fund their favorite activities while their mother, a U.S. Army Veteran, receives care for combat-related injuries. Go Miah!

06/15/2026

Our Military Kids was honored to be a part of the Supporting Children & Families: Navigating the Hidden Helper Journey panel at the 11th Annual Elizabeth Dole Foundation National Convening!

Among the panelists was Our Military Kids Executive Director Kara Dallman, Hidden Helper Advisory Council member Seylah Stephens, Lisell Pacheco of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, Christine Hauge of Wounded Warrior Project, and Kate Blackburn of Nemours Children's Health.

"Three out of four kids who receives a grant from Our Military Kids feels that they have a mentor — in their coach, in their piano teacher," said Kara. "It's just like a built-in way to have another adult in the child's life."

Additionally, according to the Our Military Kids 2026 Program Impact Report, which analyzes data from an annual survey of beneficiary families, 87% made new friends or discovered a sense of community. This kind of connection can be crucial in the life of a child, especially while taking on caregiving duties for a parent with combat injuries or illness.

See the full 2026 Program Impact Report at: https://www.ourmilitarykids.org/survey

Learn more about the 11th Annual EDF National Convening at: https://www.elizabethdolefoundation.org/event/11th-annual-national-convening

Happy 251st birthday to the U.S. Army and happy Flag Day! 🇺🇸Our Military Kids is proud to support U.S. Army service memb...
06/14/2026

Happy 251st birthday to the U.S. Army and happy Flag Day! 🇺🇸
Our Military Kids is proud to support U.S. Army service members and their families throughout National Guard and Reserve deployments and combat-injury care.

250 years of America means 250 years of U.S. military kids! 🌟As we approach our nation’s semiquincentennial, we’re shar...
06/13/2026

250 years of America means 250 years of U.S. military kids! 🌟

As we approach our nation’s semiquincentennial, we’re sharing stories about military kids and their lives throughout our history, written for families to read together and talk about.

Gabrielle Douglas is one of America’s most decorated gymnasts…and she was an Our Military Kids activity award recipient!

While she was growing up, Gabby’s dad served with the Air National Guard and deployed overseas multiple times. While he was deployed, Gabby kept practicing and competing in gymnastics. As she worked hard and was invited to participate in special opportunities, Gabby used an Our Military Kids activity award to help pay for a spot at an elite gymnastics camp.

In 2012, Gabby won her first Olympic medals — and they were both gold! Winning put her in the history books as the first African American gymnast to win gold in the individual all-around competition.

That year, Gabby also won a team gold medal with four other gymnasts, nicknamed “The Fierce Five.” Those two gold medals made Gabby the very first U.S. gymnast to take home gold for both the individual and team competitions at the same Olympics.

And then, at the next Summer Olympics…Gabby won gold in the team competition too!

Gabby’s career includes many other awards and medals in other national and international competitions. She also suffered injuries, which she had to overcome.

“Hard days are the best,” Gabby told CBS News in 2012, “because that’s where champions are made. So if you push through the hard days, you can get through anything.”

Having achieved so much, so early in her life, Gabby is still pushing. She’s written two books, had a Barbie modeled after her, acted on a few TV shows, and even performed gymnastics stunts in a movie about her life.

“My message is to never quit, never give up. When you have a little trouble here and there, just keep fighting. In the end, it will pay off,” Gabby said in another interview.

No matter their passions, dreams, and goals, Our Military Kids is proud to support military kids like Gabby in the activities they love!

FAMILY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.) If you could become the best in the world at a sport, which one would you choose?
2.) Gabby overcame many challenges and obstacles. What’s something you’re proud of being able to do that was hard at first?
3.) How does it make you feel to know that an Olympian is also a military kid?

Read more:
https://www.teamusa.com/profiles/gabrielle-douglas-1047371
https://wtop.com/news/2013/04/gabby-douglas-credits-local-nonprofit-group-for-success/

06/11/2026

Our Military Kids is proud to announce that our organization has once again been selected as a BWF-NFL grantee!

As a leader in the military and Veteran community, the Bob Woodruff Foundation raises awareness about the challenges Veterans and military families face and invests in solutions to help support them in the next chapter of their lives. We are proud to be one of their funding recipients this year through the BWF-NFL Salute to Service grants program!

This support will fund at least 285 activity awards for military children and teens like Cooper and Elijah this year!

"Cooper and Elijah are two boys who you have helped to play football at their local school," their mother, a U.S. Army Veteran, told us. "They both thank you from the bottom of their hearts for allowing them the opportunity!"

Thank you, Bob Woodruff Foundation and NFL, for creating opportunities like this for military families across the country!

Our Military Kids is pleased to announce the recent addition of Guy Kiyokawa, Vice President and Account Manager for the...
06/10/2026

Our Military Kids is pleased to announce the recent addition of Guy Kiyokawa, Vice President and Account Manager for the DoW Personnel & Readiness and Military Health System at Leidos Inc., to our Board of Directors!

Guy began his career in the U.S. Army as a Medevac pilot and proceeded to serve over 29-years as an active-duty Medical Service Corps officer focusing on health facility construction and hospital administration. Following his retirement from active duty, he joined the Senior Executive Service and served as the Deputy Director of the (DHA), which is responsible for health delivery for service members, their families, and retirees.

He received U.S. Senate confirmation and was sworn in on Nov 4, 2021, as the Assistant Secretary for Enterprise Integration in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, later stepping in as the Acting Deputy Secretary. He is now the Vice President and Account Manager for the DoW Personnel & Readiness and Military Health System at Leidos, Inc.

Our Military Kids is thrilled to have Guy's perspective and expertise as a Veteran and dedicated healthcare professional advocating for Veterans and military families.

Please join us in welcoming Guy to the Our Military Kids Board of Directors!

Go Grayson! 🪀 Since he first picked up a yo-yo in 2024, Our Military Kids has proudly funded Grayson's yo-yo lessons thr...
06/08/2026

Go Grayson! 🪀 Since he first picked up a yo-yo in 2024, Our Military Kids has proudly funded Grayson's yo-yo lessons throughout his father's combat-injury care. In 2025, Grayson earned the U.S. National Yo-Yo Champion title!

Thank you so much to Reserve & National Guard Magazine for featuring this outstanding military kid (and 2025 Courageous Kids Contest winner!). We are so proud of you, Grayson!

Read more: https://reservenationalguard.com/military-kids/10-year-old-yo-yoer-uses-his-skills-to-compete-share-joy/

National YoYo League

250 years of America means 250 years of U.S. military kids! 🌟As we approach our nation’s semiquincentennial, we’re shari...
06/06/2026

250 years of America means 250 years of U.S. military kids! 🌟

As we approach our nation’s semiquincentennial, we’re sharing stories about military kids and their lives throughout our history, written for families to read together and talk about. Each of our posts are topic- and age-appropriate for kids (elementary school and up) and include questions meant to spark discussions with your whole family!

IMAGINE: Marching into battle against the world’s mightiest empire, armed with only an instrument. That’s exactly what Richard did — when he was only 10 years old! Richard is considered to be the youngest soldier in the Continental Army during the American Revolution, when he volunteered as fifer in the Third Connecticut Regiment.

🥁 Perhaps the strangest part of his story: Richard didn’t know how to play his instrument when he enlisted!

At the time, music played an important military role on and off the battlefield. Fifes (a flute-like instrument) and drums were often played by teenage boys whose fathers were also serving in the same unit. Because their instruments could be heard over the deafening sound of battle, fifers and drummers were responsible for passing commands across the ranks and keeping soldiers in formation. Equally important, fife and drum music rallied courage and morale, especially in the face of difficulties and obstacles.

Between battles, these young musicians participated in formal and informal military events. They often found themselves in surprising situations. Richard sang “God Save America” — a subversive take on the British national anthem, “God Save the King” — and played his fife for Martha Washington, who gave Richard a $3 bill that he kept the rest of his life. Richard also came in contact with George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette during his time as a fifer.

Richard served his country for three years, eventually walking 150 miles to get home as a newly minted Army Veteran at the still-tender age of 13. He went on to become a farmer, husband, and father. Richard lived a long life, dying at 85 in 1852.

We know Richard’s name and a little about his life because he was extraordinarily young when he served. (We even know what he looked like — that’s him as an older man in the accompanying graphic!). Hundreds if not thousands of other boys served as non-combatant musicians, and we will likely never know all of their names or stories. Richard and his peers’ service was vital to the operation of the Continental Army, and they did it armed only with their instruments and a hope for a better future.

FAMILY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.) Why do you think Richard enlisted in the U.S. Army?
2.) How do you think Richard might have felt when he played his fife?
3.) If you had to perform in front of a celebrity today, what skill would you exhibit? Ex. Sing, play an instrument, act, show off your basketball skills

Learn more: https://www.nps.gov/morr/learn/historyculture/people.htm

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22124

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