In 2007, the Air Force Association Tucson Chapter 105, Tucson’s Military Chamber of Commerce and the Davis-Monthan 50 (DM-50) found a need for support to the families of those deployed from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Tucson, Ariz.

The Air Force Association has for many years, had as a part of its mission, provided support to Airmen through the Airman & Family Readiness Center (A&FRC - previously known as Family Support Center). When then Air Force Chief of Staff, General John Jumper, queried our organization to have a better knowledge of how we supported the Air Force’s family programs, he wanted to know what we offered to the deployed families.

Over the past decade our organization saw deployments were a way of life for the Air Force and added as a part of our mission to provide support/programs for our deployed families. Tucson’s Chapter 105 was the first to step outside of the traditional support manner and found a charitable non-profit to work to assist our local Air Force installation’s need for the unfunded Congressional deployed family programs.

A charitable non-profit organization was formed to facilitate donations from the community to various unfunded Congressional programs at the installation which impact Airmen and their families.

As an IRS recognized non-profit, tax-exempt organization, our goal is to collect both monetary and in-kind donations to assist with funded programs which impact the lives of the Airmen and their families at the installation, with a special emphasis on deployed Airmen and their families.

The programs we provide typically assist with the stress relief for those who participate, and are typically in concert with programs on the installation through the A&FRC and Base Chapel. The programs we strive to provide support to are not Congressionally funded, but are Congressional mandated.

The Air Force has been at war since 1991 during Desert Shield/Storm. While the ground troops returned home, the Air Force has remained in the region with an active flying mission. Not only is Air Force equipment being stressed to its limits, but also the personnel and their families are also stressed from the continual need of family separations during deployments.

Davis-Monthan AFB is one of but a few Air Force installations that require a large number of their military to deploy to the region in support of the War on Terror.

It takes a very strong family to withstand the continual deployments and separations. Children have special needs in trying to cope with the situation. Spouses left behind must learn how to live a different lifestyle and then readjust to a reunited family.

As a community we can come together to work at providing stress relief for our military families. A special thanks to all those businesses who continually provide donations. We couldn’t do what we do without you!

For more information about the Air Force Association go to www.afa.org. Tucson Community Cares Foundation, Inc is affiliated with the local AFA Tucson Chapter 105.