What Is a Twitter Chat?
A Twitter chat is like a meeting on Twitter; it has a specific discussion topic and a scheduled start time. Using the hashtag #MilCents at the end of each tweet, MFAN will ask questions to a group of financial experts.
Blog
The MFAN blog spotlights the latest news affecting our community.
State of the State: Texas
Military Family Advisory Network’s (MFAN) research over three years revealed that an alarming number of military families face food insecurity. One in eight survey respondents in 2019 reported experiencing food insecurity. Our data showed that survey respondents in Texas were experiencing higher frequencies of food insecurity among national respondents, with one in six families...
Read MoreGetting Out of Crisis Mode
In this week’s Thursday Three, we talk about the recent executive order to defer payroll taxes. The idea of some financial relief in the midst of COVID-19 is an appealing one. But it’s not one without future consequences. Today’s “extra money” is tomorrow’s problem – when the new year will bring with it...
Read MoreThursday Three Is Here!
Back to school season. Cue the round of deep sighs…. We’re talking about it in a blog this week, complete with resources to support you and your favorite military kids during a school year like no other. Also this week, MFAN participated in two panels at the (virtual) Association of Military Banks of America (AMBA) Fall Workshop – talking about how to best ensure military...
Read MoreBack to School
Ahhhh, the good old days. When we’d gleefully count down until the end of a school year with the lunch packing and the homework checking and the waking up of the cranky children who just want five more minutes of sleep. We’d let those same children sleep in late and enjoy lazy...
Read MoreThursday Three Is Here!
Happy Thursday! This past week registration opened for the Military Spouse Entrepreneur Virtual Launch Camp, an online workshop designed specifically for military spouses interested in exploring the field of entrepreneurship. This event, a collaboration between MFAN and SEED SPOT, is made possible by the Association of Military Banks of America. Interested? Register here. Executive...
Read MoreThursday Three Is Here!
Does it seem like another week has passed? Perhaps as kids head back to school (either virtually or in-person), we’ll get one step closer to the good old days when we remembered what day it was when asked! In last week’s Thursday Three, we talked about continued tensions between DoD and DHA over the handover of military medical facilities. In an update...
Read MoreThursday Three Is Here!
In case you missed it, MFAN was in the news this week. Executive Director Shannon Razsadin spoke with The Virginian-Pilot about food insecurity and MFAN’s efforts to move the needle in making sure the basic needs of military service members and their families are met. And our very own Nikole Schmidt was featured on an episode of Hearts & Stripes talking about PCS’ing, military marriage (and MFAN). You...
Read MoreCalling for Child Care Solutions
Difficulty finding child care has been a perennial finding in MFAN’s support programming surveys. In the most recent iteration of the survey, child care was a top support military families wish they had. The majority of active duty family respondents (62.3%) said they need child care or have needed it during the past two years. And 77.4% reported finding the search for...
Read MoreThursday Three Is Here!
This past week we celebrated International Day of Friendship and the Coast Guard’s 230th birthday. We talked about how you can potentially save thousands using your SCRA (Servicemembers Civil Relief Act) benefit. And, MFAN was featured in The Jacksonville Daily News in an article highlighting the 2019 Military Family Support Programming Survey and our commitment to addressing the challenge of food insecurity among military families. It’s been a busy and productive week for...
Read MoreWhen Friends are Family
Celebrating Friendship In 2011, the United Nations General Assembly designated July 30 as the International Day of Friendship. And how beautiful is that?! During this time of debate and division, we all get to take one day to acknowledge how much it means to have people we like by our sides. There are many hardships...
Read MoreThe SCRA Can Save Military Families Thousands. Why Don’t More People Know About It?
Just like the old, “If a tree falls in the woods but no one hears it…” question, if a benefit exists but the majority of service members don’t know how to use it, how much of a benefit is it? When MFAN asked respondents to the 2019 Military Family Support Programming Survey about the Servicemembers...
Read MoreThursday Three is Here!
Yesterday, MFAN’s executive director, Shannon Razsadin, joined Angela Caban (an MFAN Advisory Board Alum) at Military Saves to chat about empowering families in personal finance. In case you missed it, you can still catch the video here. Speaking of our amazing people, we’re hiring! MFAN is looking for an exceptional grant and proposal writer to...
Read MoreThursday Three is Here!
As we get closer and closer to the November election, we want to reiterate something we’ve asserted since our incorporation as a nonprofit. MFAN is, has been, and always will be a non-partisan organization. We are passionate about educating ALL military families about the issues that impact them and the importance of voting, but we...
Read MoreWhat Military Spouses Need to Know Before Getting Politically Active
This has already been a year of many things, but calm is not one of them. In addition to COVID-19, movements, protests, and political elections have filled the news and stirred many hearts. But what are the rules for military family members who want to get politically active? What does a military family member who...
Read MoreFun Things to Do at Your Duty Station: Colorado Springs
With Ft. Carson, Peterson Air Force Base, Schriever Air Force Base, the Air Force Academy, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), U.S. Northern Command, and possibly Space Force, a lot of lucky military families get to call Colorado Springs home, at least for a little while—and many choose to stay forever. Surprisingly mild winters,...
Read MoreFact: Military Spouses Need Professional License Reciprocity
The Good News? States are Starting to Give it to Them Colorado Governor Jared Polis recently signed a bill into law that will make it easier for military spouses moving into the state to transfer their professional licenses and start working. Colorado is the latest state in growing list to take steps to ease the...
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