Studies show that military family security and satisfaction have a direct impact on military retention and overall mission readiness. Despite the end of the historic government shutdown, many military servicemembers are scrambling to make up for delayed benefits, lost savings, and reduced support as they weather the ongoing impact on their families.
- Many military families report a lack of support system as a major challenge of military life, with 65.2% of active duty families reporting loneliness.
- Financial distress increases the odds of dissatisfaction with the military way of life by 156% and increases the odds of spousal support for servicemembers to leave the military by 54%. (Source: DoD 2024 Active Duty Spouse Survey)
- Many families reported pay discrepancies during the shutdown that are still unresolved, a detriment to a demographic that tends to have a limited financial cushion, as 33% of military families have less than $3,000 in savings (source: Blue Star Families).
- Approximately 26% of active-duty service members are considered food insecure, and about 13% reported that they rely on food stamps or food banks.
With 36,000 homes across the country that serve military families, Liberty Military Housing (Liberty) has elevated its continuous efforts to support those who selflessly serve our country. Nearly 70 percent of all military families live in rental housing, either within privatized military housing or off-base, and they rely on their Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) benefit to cover rent and utility costs. To reduce financial burdens as much as possible, residents of Liberty communities have not been required to pay rent until their BAH was reinstated and received, and did not incur any late fees or penalties due to rent non-payment as a result of not receiving their BAH allotments.
San Diego Meal Distribution to Military Families
Liberty has not only worked to alleviate housing stress but also ensured that residents had access to adequate food sources, resources for financial support and mental health, and other essential support during this stressful time. Their regional team members stepped up to organize events, donation drives, and more that serve families’ basic needs. Support offered in Liberty communities includes:
- San Diego, CA: Liberty has distributed meals for over 2,000 families across 10 communities in the region.
- Hampton Roads, VA: Liberty has plans to host four Patriots Pantry events throughout November, providing non-perishables, fresh fruit and vegetables, eggs, and poultry to 75 families per event. Additionally, they will provide gift certificates for Thanksgiving turkeys to over 824 families, as well as gift certificates for the commissary to 800+ families.
- Joint Base Lewis McChord, WA: Through its partnership with ASYMCA, Liberty will host dinner pick-ups and a food pantry available to the 5,000+ residents of the JBLM community. Additionally, Liberty team members have collected over $27,000 in donations for families to purchase essential items.
- Oceanside, CA & Twentynine Palms, CA: Through partnerships with ASYMCA and USO, Liberty organized meal distributions and restocked food pantries at both Oceanside and Twentynine Palms ASYMCA locations. To meet the growing demand, Liberty will provide more supplies to Twentynine Palms next week, following reports of depleted inventory. Liberty provides ongoing support to the 8,000+ families at Camp Pendleton through biweekly STEP food distributions, ensuring consistent access to essential resources.
Philip Rizzo, CEO of Liberty Military Housing, stated: “As one of the largest military housing providers in the country, Liberty is committed to doing everything that we can to support the well-being of military families who sacrifice so much to serve our country. I’m deeply proud of our team members across the country and our partners for rising to the occasion and finding ways to step in to ensure that our families had access to the resources and care during this uncertainty of the shutdown.”
Move for Hunger Mobile Food Pantry
Move for Hunger Mobile Food Pantry