This year for Christmas I have chosen to take part in Operation Homefront, and I encourage each of you to become an OH Santa along with me. What is Operation Homefront? It is an organization that helps the families of soldiers serving overseas. Generally speaking, the core families Operation Homefront serves are those lowest ranking soldiers, the “youngest lowest-paid ones,” which we find on the front line.

This time of year, as the weather turns colder and children dream of Christmas, we do not want our soldiers in Iraq or Afghanistan or where ever they are stationed around the world to worry about paying the bills, putting food on the table, or buying their children a Christmas toy.

My local organization in North Carolina has identified 115 families still in need, and there is a wait list for more families. While any contribution helps, the group would like for people to consider purchasing a holiday meal for the family and to spend $30 for each child in the soldier’s family. Purchasing a gift for the parents is optional.

When a family in need fills out an application with OH, they list the children and some of the toys they would like for Christmas. A donor can purchase those items or send a gift card so parents can get it themselves. To find your local group, go to http://www.operationhomefront.net to learn more of this organization.