May is National Military Appreciation Month, which includes many specific days of recognition and culminates on Memorial Day, where we give pause to recognize the service and sacrifice of the many Americans who are part of our nation’s armed forces.
In 2019 our affiliate branch, Hawk Security Services, partnered with the Chris Kyle Frog Foundation (CKFF) to expand our Hometown Heroes Program in the My Alarm Center Family. It is our goal to work together to help protect those who have selflessly chosen to protect us every day. In alignment with this partnership, we would like to highlight CKFF and bring to light how you can support them and others during Military Appreciation Month.
In an average year, there would be many events that would raise awareness, help fundraise, and bring honor to those who have served our country. During this unprecedented time where we cannot be together, and many events are canceled, we want to help you understand what resources are available so that you can participate safely from your home.
About Chris Kyle Frog Foundation
CKFF was founded by Taya Kyle to honor the life and legacy of her husband, “American Sniper,” Chris Kyle. Chris and Taya knew first-hand the challenges military families encounter from their lives of service. Having experienced their own trials and knowing many others who faced similar issues, they started to discuss how they could continue to provide services to those who serve our nation. Before Chris’ untimely passing in February 2013, he was developing his vision for CKFF programs to support military and first responder communities. Today, Taya and the CKFF team are fulfilling Chris’ vision through the development and delivery of life-changing, impactful programs and services to support communities across our nation.
Ways to Support Chris Kyle Frog Foundation and Others from Home
Every day we are becoming more comfortable and creative with using technology to support our friends, families, and communities from home. CKFF’s slogan is Turn Patriotism into Action™, and we can still find ways to do that, even when we cannot be together physically.
Attend a virtual event
If there is a local organization that you want to support, reach out to them to find out if there are any online events that they are hosting during May. Many are offering ways to help out and volunteer your time from home in ways that you may not have thought of before.
Host an event
Get creative! You know a lot of people, and the people you know, know a lot of people. If there is an event you would usually go to in person this month, like a 5K, try to find a way to host this event online. Use your network of friends, family, and community to brainstorm ideas to come together online to help support non-profit organizations.
Start a Facebook fundraiser
It is as simple as clicking a button! You can easily support a non-profit organization using a new post on Facebook. Explain why this cause is important to you and why your followers should consider donating, the more personal you can make it, the better. To reach more people, ask your friends and family to share your post with their networks.
Share your story
People feel more compelled to support an organization when they know someone who has been directly affected. If you have a personal story to share and feel comfortable doing so, you will help to raise awareness for the cause you want to support. Non-profits organizations depend on their networks to advocate for them and build their communities. More support for their cause means they will be able to better support and extend their services to other people like you.
Donate
Donating is arguably the easiest and fastest way to show your support to an organization you care about. Non-profit organizations, like CKFF, depend on fundraising to provide their services. It is usually easy to donate to an organization right from their website; some give you the choice of either making a one time or recurring donation. You can donate to CKFF by clicking here.
Encourage your company to give
Businesses look to give philanthropic support to local non-profit organizations as a way of contributing to their communities and building support for their brand. They will often take recommendations from employees because they want to support the causes you care about to help promote participation and engagement. If you have a non-profit you want to support, go to Human Resources or a member of the leadership team of your company to ask for support and let them know why this is important to you.
Give them a follow
If you cannot donate or host an event, an easy way to show your support is by following your favorite non-profits on social media. There is power in having an extensive network of people advocating for their cause. Growing a following gives them a bigger audience of people to share their message and reach people in need.
You can follow CKFF on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn.
Our Partnership with CKFF and Hometown Heroes Program
In 2019 we reached out to Chris Kyle Frog Foundation to see if we could partner up as a natural extension of our Hometown Heroes Program. Military service is part of our culture with many employees who are veterans of our nation’s military, and most all who have been touched personally in some way. As best said by our Regional Vice President, James Mercer:
“We have very personal connections to the military and first responder communities here at Hawk, not only because we have many customers who serve or have served, but Hawk employees also have over 158 years of combined military service. In fact, my son is a Staff Sergeant in the US Marine Corps, so this program is very important to me.”
It is our hope that we can support CKFF and protect the homes of those who have served our country through this program. For any military, first responder, educator, or hospital professional who signs up for our service we offer a $150 credit towards their monitoring service. And for every referral we get through CKFF, by their website or representatives, we donate $100 back to the organization. As we continue our partnership, we look forward to continuing to find new ways to support each other and the communities we serve.
At Hawk Security, we would like to offer a word of thanks to our military, first responders, educators, and medical professionals who have selflessly helped this country and communities through our most uncertain and trying time. While we cannot be together physically to show our support, we believe that the efforts we make at this time will help to build stronger communities and a more compassionate following for organizations like CKFF, who are dedicated to giving back to those in need.
For More Security and Home Automation Tips and Solutions, Stick with My Alarm Center
And if you’re looking for more ways to keep yourself and your family safe, check out our home security and automation services at My Alarm Center. We offer a wide range of home security options to protect you and your family. If you’re ready to discuss our custom solutions, contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you prepare for what’s next.