MILITARY FAMILY ADVISORY NETWORK INC

CONDUCT RESEARCH AND ELEVATE CHALLENGES.MFAN RELEASED FINDINGS FROM ITS LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH EFFORT IN 2024. THE SURVEY YIELDED OVER 10,000 RESPONDENTS, BECOMING THE LARGEST SURVEY OF MILITARY FAMILIES. THE RESEARCH WAS CITED IN KEY POLICY EFFORTS, INCLUDING THE HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE QUALITY OF LIFE RECOMMENDATIONS, INCLUDING THE LARGEST PAY INCREASE FOR JUNIOR ENLISTED RANKS. MFAN RESEARCH WAS REFERENCED IN MORE THAN 2,500 MEDIA STORIES YIELDING A POTENTIAL REACH OF 2.8B.AT THE FOREFRONT OF MFAN'S RESEARCH EFFORTS IS A PEER-LEADER ADVISORY BOARD. A REPRESENTATIVE GROUP OF MILITARY AND VETERAN SPOUSES WHOSE PULSE ON LOCAL AND NATIONAL EXPERIENCES INFORMS MFAN RESEARCH AND PROGRAMMATIC DESIGN. THIS GROUP MEETS VIRTUALLY EACH MONTH AND THREE TIMES PER YEAR IN PERSON. NOT ONLY DO ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS INFORM MFAN WORK, BUT THEY ALSO PARTICIPATE IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, EQUIPPING THEM WITH SKILLS AND RESOURCES TO GROW AS A PEER LEADER.

BUILD RESPONSIVE, AGILE, SCALABLE PROGRAMS.INFORMED BY THE DATA POINT THAT 51 PERCENT OF MILITARY FAMILIES WHO HAD MOVED IN THE LAST 24 MONTHS WERE FOOD INSECURE, IN 2024, MFAN EXPANDED ITS EFFORTS TO EASE THE FINANCIAL BURDEN MILITARY FAMILIES EXPERIENCE WITH A RECENT MOVE. NEARLY 2,000 HOUSEHOLDS AT FORT CAVAZOSA - A LOCATION WITH HIGH FOOD INSECURITY AND HIGH DEPLOYMENT FREQUENCY - WERE SERVED BY MFAN IN 2024. UPON ARRIVAL IN FORT CAVAZOS, FAMILIES RECEIVE A RESTOCK KIT THAT PROVIDES THEM WITH HOUSEHOLD ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED DURING EACH MOVE (E.G., PANTRY STAPLES, CLEANING SUPPLIES), VALUED AT $150. FAMILIES EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY ARE ALSO PROVIDED THREE MONTHS OF GROCERIES TO HELP THEM GET ON THEIR FEET FOLLOWING A MILITARY MOVE. THIS PROGRAM UNDERGOES CONTINUAL EVALUATION, WHICH REVEALED THAT 80% OF RESPONDENTS REFLECTED STRONG SATISFACTION AND ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT FOR THE PROGRAM. IN ADDITION, 84% OF RESPONDENTS SAID THE BOX MADE THEM FEEL WELCOMED, AND ABOUT ONE-THIRD SHARED THAT THEY RETURNED TO A PARTNER LOCATION, WHERE THEY PICKED UP THEIR BOX, TO ACCESS ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY RESOURCES.