At the Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA), the mission is simple but powerful: to serve those who serve our country. The organization is located on Fort Campbell, a major Army installation that is known as the home of the 101st Airborne Division and other units.
While the 30,000+ men and women based at Ft. Campbell serve our nation, the ASYMCA is focused on supporting the needs of those service members, their families, and others within the military community who may be facing hardship.
“We are here as a resource, primarily focused on junior enlisted service members and their families,” said Hillary Brewer, Executive Director of the ASYMCA. “That support also extends to others in need, including DoD employees affected by the government shutdown.”
One of the most important ways the ASYMCA serves its community is through food support. When families struggle to put meals on the table, it doesn’t just affect life at home. It can also impact a service member’s ability to stay focused and mission-ready. By easing that burden, the ASYMCA helps provide the stability these families deserve.
Brewer knows the struggles these families face all too well. As the wife of a retired service member, she’s moved frequently and adjusted her career path in support of her husband. “Oftentimes our families have a Soldier that is gone for extended periods of time, and if it’s a family with multiple children, that can really be stressful and it can be hard at times.”
This support is crucial with the current 21% military spouse unemployment* and the average junior enlisted service member earning a salary of $28,356 a year.** This financial strain leads to even more stress for Soldiers and their families.
To ease that burden, the ASYMCA serves about 100 families through their food pantry along with quarterly food distributions that serve nearly 300 families at a time. This ensures consistent, reliable access to food for those who need it most.
This work wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of 14 staff members and more than 100 volunteers, as well as the support of community partnerships. Feeding America Kentucky’s Heartland (FAKH) is proud to partner with the Armed Services YMCA at Fort Campbell.
The support FAKH and agency partners provide is more than food–it’s hope. For many military families, the ASYMCA is the foundation of their community whether it’s through food support, childcare services, or assisting new arrivals to make local connections. “We are their village until they find their village,” Brewer shared.
To learn more about the services ASMYCA is providing our dedicated service members, visit: https://fortcampbell.asymca.org/
Sources:
* 2021 Survey of Active Duty Spouses (militaryonesource.mil)** US Army (https://www.goarmy.com/benefits/while-you-serve/money-pay)
