As we look ahead to the coming year I am thrilled for all that lies ahead and very grateful for what we were able to provide this past year. We continue to offer all of our programs for spouses and children but are adding some new ones too. Specifically, I am very happy about our upcoming retreat in North Carolina. Working with Eagle Rock Camp is a perfect fit for us for many reasons. I easily connected with their founder who is also a widow, she understands loss, grief, trauma, is from a military family, and has been working within the community for years. We have a robust curriculum in place for this event as well as providing time for our spouses to enjoy this beautiful location and form some new friendships. If you know a spouse who might benefit from this retreat please share or reach out to us for more information as we hope to grow this program. Such work would not be possible without the financial support we are receiving.
I was excited to attend Merry Margarita this year. It has been two years since the last celebration and it was definitely a joyous event. I am so grateful for this support, not only financially, but for the toys they donate and the opportunity to speak and share our work.
I would be remiss if I did not thank our amazing scholarship sponsor, RF-LAMBDA for their continued support, not only during the holiday season, but throughout the year. Their recent Holiday Open House was a wonderful event and a great opportunity to connect with our San Diego families. Additionally, RF-LAMBDA once again provided support for us to deliver gift cards and presents in San Diego too.
Thank you to all who contributed to our annual Gift Card Campaign. As a result, we were able to send gift cards for the holidays to our spouses from our Financial Assistance Program.
For our families, be on the lookout for a new STEM program that we have been working on as well as our Surviving Spouses Network which will provide some great information, resources and the opportunity to interact in a live forum. We are also working on employment opportunities for our spouses that would adhere to their busy and demanding lifestyle as surviving spouses. More to come.
Again, we could not do any of this without all of the incredible support we are receiving.
The new year will also bring in our 2022 Sugar Bear Virtual Run Fundraiser efforts. We will have sign-up information soon, but are always looking for Ambassadors to help us grow this program. This is a wonderful opportunity to share Sugar Bear’s story, our work and get involved with our mission. Any and all help is greatly appreciated.
For our spouses, a new year can bring new opportunities. Six years ago I received a gift with the opportunity to form this foundation. Although it has been a lot of work I would not change anything as I knew there was a need for more resources for families like ours. We hope you will reach out if you would like more information about one of our programs, are interested in employment opportunities, or if you have a need that has not been addressed. We are here to serve you! So please contact Admin@thesugarbearfoundation.org.
Thank you for making this a truly blessed year and thank you for supporting the spouses and children who have given their all!
Jennifer Carazo
Gold Star wife/President
