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Tyndall families armed with school supplies

  • Published
  • By Technical Sgt. Veronica U. Fullwood
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Tyndall families will receive school supplies provided through the Back-To-School Brigade Aug. 12 at the Airman and Family Readiness Center from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

As Tyndall families gear up for the start of the school year, Operation Home Front and Dollar Tree provided the ammunition needed.

"We have basic school supplies that were donated by the Dollar Tree through Operation Homefront," said Tamara Turnmeyer Marler, Airman and Family Readiness Center school liaison officer. "Supplies include paper, folders, pencils, pens and more."

By registering with the Tyndall A&FRC, military members E-5 and below will be able to receive the school supplies for their children.

"School supplies can become costly especially if you have multiple children," Marler said. "It's a program we've offered again this year to kind of relieve that financial stress."

Having this program in place can help to ease the burden of many military families.

"The schools aren't able to provide as much as they used to in the past," Marler said. "It's becoming the parents' responsibility to help and provide school supplies."

Tyndall, the Navy Support Activity and the National Guard usually collaborate and pick one site to distribute the school supplies, but they found the families are spread out. This year, each service is distributing from their own specific site. If the service member lives on or works closer to a different service's installation, the service member can pick up supplies from the closer one, said Marler

"This is the first year where it's a local event, but still in partnership with a lot of people," Marler said. "The community is supporting us; we have a great partnership with Bay District Schools and the community."

Since the backpacks are rotated throughout the Air Force bases, Tyndall was not selected to receive backpacks this year.

Although members are encouraged to bring their own backpacks to fill, Operation Homefront donated sack packs for the children. Operation Fill-a-Lunchbox is scheduled to donate snacks to the children as well.
For more information regarding the Back-To-School Brigade or other programs, contact SLO at (850) 283-4204.