Operation Homefront Washington (OHWA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing financial and other assistance to Servicemembers, military families and wounded warriors, hosted a Back to School Brigade (BTSB) event Aug. 18 for Joint Base Lewis-McChord families at Clover Park Technical College in Lakewood.

"We partnered with Dollar Tree for the BTSB," said Sgt. 1st Class Paul Whitfield, an I Corps Soldier and OHWA board member. "They donated notebooks, calculators, binders, and essential supplies for children from K to 12. Our programs specifically target and help E1 to E6 Soldiers and their families and we serve active-duty, Guard and Reserves and all other branches of the military, including the Coast Guard."

OHWA is a national organization that provides financial assistance, emergency food (including formula and diapers), home repairs, essential household items, moving assistance, travel and transportation, vehicle repairs, wounded warrior transitional family housing, and morale and community events, among others.

"We help low-income military families in general," said Maria Cabanit, a military spouse and the BTSB volunteer coordinator, "and especially in these difficult times where things are expensive and parents are responsible for classroom supplies, it's nice to be able to help."

To qualify for assistance, Servicemembers go through a screening and eligibility process. Services also extend to morale programs for new military mothers, spouses and military children. The OHWA already hosted BTSB events in Kent, Vancouver and Fairchild Air Force Base, and will be visiting Marysville and Bremerton next week.

"We received well over $70,000 in supplies, and we registered 900 families and 300 are waitlisted for backpacks in Lakewood," said Stephanie Martinez, a military spouse and the Lakewood point of contact for the event. "I'm really excited to be a part of this program because it's all about the kids."

"This is awesome," said Natalia Barreto, who has four children. "My husband is deployed and this helps a lot. I can buy more clothes for school and afford lunches now."

"It's my first time here," said Barreto's friend, Cynthia Figueroa, who also has four children. "I think it's a good thing they're doing, helping us military families with school supplies."

Markyeta Collins agreed. "If it wasn't for this program, we wouldn't make it," she said. "It's hard with gas prices and the economy. (OHWA) has taken the burden off and now I can afford a little more with four kids."

For more information and to register for services, visit www.operationhomefront.net/washington or call (800) 779-5898.