Dear Friends,

We hope you are enjoying HomeFront Strong's quarterly newsletters as much as we enjoy putting them together! Our newsletter is a way to share with you more information about the program and to highlight some of our key strategies and skills. It is also a nice reflection of where HomeFront Strong has been and where we are going.

With the changing seasons and holidays around the corner, it can be easy to put self-care aside. We encourage you to fight that urge! If you have already completed HomeFront Strong, pick a grounding strategy that you loved, practice it each day for a week, and pay attention to whether it helps you be more present during the holidays. If you haven't completed your HomeFront Strong group or online program yet, perhaps you can find a moment to center yourself and prepare for your day.
Wishing you the very best this holiday season.

Warmly,
 
The HomeFront Strong Team
Skills Reminder: Grounding Strategies
Practice Grounding is the pillar of the HomeFront Strong house and a way to support your resilience. Each Grounding Strategy utilized in HomeFront Strong has been proven to reduce stress and anxiety and to work against depression. Is there a grounding strategy that you liked best? Breathing? Progressive Muscle Relaxation? Mindfulness? Practicing at least one grounding strategy every day can have a positive effect on your outlook. Give it a try!
Where in the Mitten?
We've been busy! Here are a few places we've visited recently to share information about HomeFront Strong:
 
  • Oakland University, Rochester

  • Veteran Community Action Team (VCAT) meetings in Lansing, Saginaw, Hastings, Marshall, and Ann Arbor

  • Veterans Resource Fair, Belding

  • Western Michigan Boots and Brats, Kalamazoo
  • Fall U.P. VCAT Conference, L’Anse

  • Hoops for Troops, Detroit

  • Armed Services Salute, Detroit

Would you like HomeFront Strong to be a part of your next event? Reach out to us! Contact Jennifer at (734) 998-2205 or HomeFrontStrong@umich.edu .
Resource Corner
Building Your Tribe: Are you looking to expand your tribe? There are several organizations developed specifically for helping military and veteran spouses and partners find each other and connect:




Gearing Up for the Holidays : Need help getting in the holiday spirit? Maybe you would like to get a Christmas tree but it feels out of reach this year. Trees for Troops connects the Michigan Christmas Tree Association with currently serving military members who need a tree. Contact them and get on their list. 
If you need a toy for a young one this holiday season, now is the time to register for Toys for Tots . They are currently accepting applications. If you don't need a toy and are in a position to donate for other families, you can also sign up to be a volunteer, talk to your employer about being a toy drop site, or host an event to raise awareness for this organization. Unwrapped, new toys can be added to any Toys for Tots collection bin for donation.
Join Us
Things have gotten off to a running start this fall! In-Person groups started in Ann Arbor and in Grand Rapids. We are looking for participants to join us in Lansing, Flint, Pontiac, and Macomb County this winter. We are also starting to get the word out about our program in Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula with spring/summer groups expected.
If you know someone who might be interested in HomeFront Strong, please feel free to tell them about us. Do you know an area that would be great for a group? Let us know! 
Program Pics
HomeFront Strong and Buddy-to-Buddy program staff at the Detroit VA Mental Health Summit.
An HFS Children's Program participant holding up art work she made during a group.
HomeFront Strong Child Team and Outreach Specialist Berkley French at the Macomb County Freedom Fest. 
The EasterSeals Grand Rapids conference room before the start of the first group there this fall.
HomeFront Strong is part of Military Support Programs and Networks (M-SPAN), a collection of military mental health programs within the University of Michigan Depression Center.
HomeFront Strong
2025 Traverwood Dr., Suite C | Ann Arbor | MI | 48105