Moody overflows with community support

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Ceaira Tinsley
  • 23d Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  (Editor's note: The mention of the nonprofit organization Operation Homefront does not constitute endorsement or affiliation by Moody Air Force Base or the U.S. Air Force.)

Operation Homefront and businesses within the local community contributed to the Back to School Brigade hosted at the Airman and Family Readiness Center to provide children of active-duty enlisted Airmen with free school supplies Aug. 26, here.

Children of active-duty enlisted Airmen ranks E-1 to E-6 received supplies to reduce their parents' expenses and alleviate the stress of purchasing the growing supply lists schools require.

"We do this for the lower paid Airmen of our force to try and help them out," said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. William Ford, 23d Force Support Squadron NCO in charge of readiness.  "If we can give them something as simple as school supplies, that is one less thing they have to worry about [buying] to get them through the school year.

"Anything that the local businesses have in their facilities that are classified as school supplies, the patrons are welcome to grab one of those and donate them," Ford added.

Operation Homefront held the brigade twice this year and provided approximately 220 children with free school supplies such as pencils, pens, paper, notebooks and calculators. Members of the local community did their part by purchasing the supplies and donating them to aid Airmen.

"This just helps them out financially," said Ford. "I know it's coming from the dollar store and it's not expensive stuff but doing this saves them time and money and provides them with stuff that they don't have to worry about."

The donations add up quickly and one Airman said with the money he saved from the brigade he's taking his family out for a pizza night.

"This helps out in a tremendous way because you can go ahead and save money," said Staff Sgt. Tim Gallagher, father of three school age children who spends $300 on school supplies yearly.  "It makes a huge difference in your spending plan and it helps out with your family life. Being able to go ahead and take that money and use it for something else is cool. If you don't put it towards other bills, maybe you can go out and have [family] dinner."

As long as there's a need for it and Moody has the support of Operation Homefront and the community, Airmen can look forward to the brigade returning next year, said Ford.