Holiday Gift Card Campaign

Each year, we ask our friends to take part in our Holiday Gift Card Campaign, so we can give back to families who may need a little extra help during this season. We are grateful for any level of support, as it helps us continue Sugar Bear's legacy of service.  CLICK HERE to make a donation and mention the Holiday Gift Card Campaign in the Notes. Sharing this information with your friends, coworkers, company, church, etc., is equally appreciated.

Thank you & Happy Holidays from the Sugar Bear Foundation Team

This #GivingTuesday, Help Sugar Bear Foundation Support Our Military Families

We hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with family, friends, and lots of love. Tuesday, December 1st is #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving to support local, national, and international nonprofit organizations. We’re asking our friends who are able to donate—whether through a general contribution, our Holiday Gift Card Campaign, a monthly gift, and/or by sharing our work within your own network. Your support means everything to us and the families we serve. Our programs provide a path towards healing and strengthen the entire family, and we work to do so in honor of Sugar Bear. 

Thank you,

Jennifer Carazo
Gold Star Wife/President 

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Thank You Santa Maria Knights of Columbus!

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A heartfelt thank you to the Knights of Columbus Santa Maria for their continued generosity and dedication to The Sugar Bear Foundation!

Your steadfast support, fundraising efforts, and compassion make a profound difference for our military families, helping to provide a path toward healing and strength in honor of Sugar Bear. We are deeply grateful for your kindness and partnership.

Thank You J&J Veterans Leadership Council!

A huge thank you to the J&J Veterans Leadership Council for hosting an incredible 3rd Annual Charity Mess Night in support of the Sugar Bear Foundation. Events like this bring together camaraderie, tradition, and a shared commitment to honoring and supporting Gold Star families. We are deeply grateful to the council, the organizers, and everyone who attended for making the evening such a meaningful success. We will have more pictures to share in the coming weeks. 

Community Engagement

We look forward to Susan sharing more information and resources that benefit our families. 

As Director of Community Engagement with The Sugar Bear Foundation, my focus has been to connect our Gold Star/Surviving Spouses with meaningful resources, information, opportunities and organizations that can make a difference in the lives of our families.  Here are just some of the programs that I have interfaced with over the past two months- and all of them are here to serve you. If you haven’t already, please check them out- you’ll be glad you did! Community Cultivator, Department of War Survivor Symposium, VA Survivor Series, Military OneSource, VA Office of Survivor Assistance, TAPS, and the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. These resources provide a wealth of information and assistance on survivor benefits, financial planning, healthcare, caregiver-to-survivor transitions, estate planning, and educational assistance.

Interesting takeaway #1:  Did you know that TSA Pre-Check is now free for Survivor Families?

Interesting takeaway #2: Webinar replays like this one on Empowering Military Survivors: Navigating Financial Decisions and Benefits are useful tools anytime of the day or night.

I’m also working to identify opportunities for career development and professional networking for Sugar Bear Foundation’s Gold Star/Surviving Spouses. Through Community Cultivator, I’ve had the opportunity to connect both virtually and in-person (here in San Diego) with organizations such as RSM, Leidos and Hiring Our Heroes.  Learning about “military spouse friendly” companies, employment initiatives, fellowships, mentorship, and career opportunities has been extremely beneficial. These conversations help me better understand what is available and the importance of sharing these opportunities with our Sugar Bear community.

Interesting takeaway #3: Both RSM and Leidos want you to add “military spouse” to your resume so they can identify you quickly and assist immediately.

Interesting takeaway #4: RSM curates training fellowships for individual spouses and 98% of fellowships end with a full-time employment offer.