Dear Friends,

Can you believe that it’s already August? Summer has flown by, and fall is just around the corner! We hope you’ve had a chance to enjoy this beautiful Michigan weather and have had some time to connect with your friends and family.

The end of summer and the beginning of fall is a great time to reflect on how resilient we are. You might not be a squirrel storing nuts for the winter, but what things are you doing for yourself and your family to prepare for fall, the start of school, drill weekends, or veteran programming that your family might be part of?
We seldom wait until the last minute to prepare for season changes, and, similarly, we don’t have to wait for military/veteran life to become difficult to build our resilience. Resiliency helps during the easy times, and can also help you bounce back when life is harder than we expect.

As summer fades to fall, take a minute to watch the leaves change or the animals prepare for winter and remind yourself how resilient you really are!

Warmly,

The HomeFront Strong Team
Skills Reminder: Reflection
Reflection is one of the skills you might have used through HomeFront Strong. Whether you are reflecting on your experience through surveys you complete for the program, or reflecting on the story you tell yourself, taking time to think about your story and your life is an important skill. What does it mean for you to be a military/veteran spouse? Who knows your story? Has the story you tell yourself about military/veteran life changed over time?
Where in the Mitten?
Where We've Been: We've been busy! Here are a few places we've visited recently to share information about HomeFront Strong:
 
  • HomeFront Strong in-person group, Pontiac

  • Vet Centers, Saginaw and Pontiac

  • Dearborn Meeting of the Minds, Dearborn

  • VCAT 5 Expo, Midland
  • Michigan Medicine Ambulatory Clinic, Ypsilanti

  • VCAT 5 and Motor City VCAT, Lansing and Troy

  • National Guard Yellow Ribbon, Grand Rapids

  • Air National Guard Yellow Ribbon, Troy

  • Marine Corps Reserve Family Day, Lansing

  • Army Reserve Family Day, Ann Arbor

  • VetFest, Howell

  • Hero Fest, Lansing

  • Air National Guard Family Day, Selfridge Air National Guard Base

  • Air National Guard Yellow Ribbon, Battle Creek

Where We're Going: Over the next few months, HomeFront Strong will be at many events throughout the state. If you would like more information about any of these events, please let us know. Here are a few events we'll be at:

  • Saginaw Valley State University Lunch & Learn, Saginaw

  • Michigan National Guard Strong Bonds events, Traverse City

  • Fort Clarkston Vet Resource Fair, Clarkston

  • Ann Arbor VA Mental Health Summit, Ann Arbor

  • John Dingell VA Mental Health Summit, Detroit

Would you like HomeFront Strong to be a part of your next event? Reach out to us! Contact Ali at (734) 998-5827 or HomeFrontStrong@umich.edu .
Resource Corner
Back to School: Whether we fight it or not, back to school is right around the corner. If you are looking for ideas on how to support children and families of those serving in the National Guard or reserves, don’t forget to look into the Military Child Education Coalition .

This site offers ideas and ways to stay involved in education during deployment but also ways to support children and families of the Guard and Reserves. There is even a flyer you can provide to your child’s teacher about resources and information about the strengths of military children. Download the flyer here .
Veteran Friendly Employers: Michigan has many employers that have been certified as Veteran Friendly Employers. The Michigan Veteran Affairs Agency recognizes employers that commit to military veteran recruitment, training and retention practices by awarding those employers Gold, Silver and Bronze level status as Veteran-Friendly Employers. You can view the list here .
Recently we began reaching out to these employers and their human resources departments to ensure that they not only recruit, train, and retain those who serve in the military, but that they know resources available to their employees’ families. If you or your spouse work for a veteran friendly employer, see if they have resources that you might find helpful.
Welcome, Holli!
Our team is growing! HomeFront Strong is happy to welcome Holli Herr as our new therapist. Holli has a Master of Arts in Psychology: Clinical Counseling from The Citadel Graduate College in Charleston, SC. Prior to joining HomeFront Strong, Ms. Herr completed training at a Child Advocacy Center and served as a therapist at a college counseling center in South Carolina. A combination of her education, training, and personal experiences have cultivated a strong interest in working with military families. You can learn more about our staff by visiting our website's Team page .
Holli Herr
Army National Guard? Air National Guard? Check Your Mailbox!
We often hear that people did not know there were programs developed specifically for military/veteran spouses and partners. We are ALWAYS trying to get the word out about our program. One of the ways that we try to get information to you is through our direct mailing campaigns. Recently, we sent brochures to the 127 th  Wing of the Michigan Air National Guard. These is the same information that was sent to every soldier family in the National Guard back in February. We are grateful to the support of the leadership at the Michigan National Guard in helping us get the word out about our program.  
Come Join Us!
We have new groups starting soon in Lansing and Ann Arbor. Do you live in these areas? There's still time to join if you’d like to get started in your HomeFront Strong journey. We are also building groups in the Port Huron area and near Selfridge. Do you know someone in this area who would enjoy HomeFront Strong? Tell them about us! Are you interested for yourself? Give us a call and we can find a location near you.
Don’t have time to attend a group? Or maybe we don’t yet have a group near you? There is an on-line version of HomeFront Strong just for you. You can receive the content of HomeFront Strong each week for 8 weeks on your computer (or even your phone). 
Program Pics
Ali Thompson at a Yellow Ribbon event in Grand Rapids.
Iriz Hadziegric and Holly Lubzik at the Hero Fest in Lansing.
Our outreach table at the VetFest in Howell.
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