The Homefront: Serving Those Left Behind

Many are spending this day with close family and friends. But for military families, Christmas can be tough with a husband or wife, dad or mom deployed overseas.

Fortunately, generous communities across the country are coming to the rescue.

When Daddy's Far Away

Four-year-old Kaiden Panglose and his mom Kelly are a long way from daddy and husband. His aircraft carrier is thousands of miles away in the Middle East.

"Not only is the emotional part of it hard, financially it's definitely difficult as well," Kaiden's mom, Kelly, said.

But staying active helps to keep a smile on their faces, and that's not all that's bringing joy to this military family. A kind community is providing support during their difficult time of separation from dad and husband.

"I am just so thankful that Christmas will not be ruined," Kelly said.

Operation Homefront

Help is coming to Kelly and other military families from warehouses like the one on Naval Base San Diego. It's filled with thousands of donated treasures from big pieces of furniture to smaller items like toys and games.

The organization known as Operation Homefront is behind the effort. Founded in San Diego after September 11, it's grown to more than 4,000 volunteers in 31 chapters nationwide. Operation Homefront has helped more than 45,000 military families.

"It's really important for us to say thank you to the military families for what they're doing," Homefront's Tricia de la Paz said. "Our primary goal is to serve the families back at home so that the service members overseas -- they don't have to worry about what's going on back at home."

In addition to the toys and furniture, families visiting worry-free warehouses will find donated clothes, baby products and diapers, toiletries, bedding, books, food, and a range of items for the home.

"This is our household and appliances section where we have anything from a cup to vases to waffle makers -- whatever the family might need in an emergency situation," De La Paz said.

The warehouses are organized like department stores with everything free of charge. Financial assistance is also available for families of those serving our country.

Giving Back

Kelly is grateful for the generosity, and now she's giving back as a volunteer for Operation Homefront.

"It's really nice when you have the little kids that say 'Please let me have Spiderman macaroni and cheese,'" commented Kelly. "They think that's really neat, so you make sure to give them a couple extra."

The San Diego chapter is also reaching out to military families facing the extra challenge of rebuilding, after this year's destructive wildfires.

"I was down at the National Guard Armory with a couple of service members that had lost their homes, and I gave them food and gas cards right away. It was all because of the generosity of the community that we were able to do that," De La Paz said.

"He said that he wasn't going to have Christmas this year," Kelly said, referring to a serviceman. "We made sure to give him some extra toys for his kids, decorations, wreaths, anything that we could possibly do to make it feel a little more like Christmas for that family."

It's feeling a little more like Christmas for Kelly as well. Kelly's family is receiving Christmas gifts through Operation Homefront's "Adopt-a-family" program.

She said, "I'm positive because I know that my husband will be home. I just got to mark those days off on the calendar. I know that I have Operation Homefront. And not only are they helping me, but I'm able to help other people."

It serves as a boost of cheer in the midst of tough times.