Celebrating 10 Years of Empowering Military Families

Last night, I had the honor of attending the 10 year anniversary celebration of the Military Family Advisory Network (MFAN), and I couldn't be more inspired by their incredible work. As I walked through the doors, I was immediately struck by the sense of community and support that filled the room.

As the formal portion of the evening began, the Honorable Rosemary Williams welcomed everyone in attendance, shared her personal experience working with MFAN as a board member before introducing keynote speaker Ashish Vazirani . ?

Like Rosemary, he began by sharing his experience when he first learned of MFAN. What impressed him about the organization was the same thing that attracted me, their data. In his comments he shared a quote from Winston Churchill that defines the work of many non-profit organizations supporting our community.? “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

The team at MFAN is extremely humble, quiet professionals like those they serve. Colin Powell once said, "The healthiest competition occurs when average people win by putting in above-average effort." This quote perfectly encapsulates the dedication and commitment I witnessed from the MFAN team over the years, except I’d say the team is rather extraordinary.?

MFAN envisions a world where all military-connected families are empowered to thrive. They have been working tirelessly to understand and amplify the needs of military-connected families, inspiring data-informed change along the way. What truly sets them apart is their unique approach to program development. They create impactful programs that fill gaps and address needs by delivering information and resources in a way that resonates with modern military families. Most importantly, they do it by partnering with others.?

Their commitment to the community is evident through their dedication to delivering relevant and accessible content. By understanding how military families digest information, MFAN has been able to create programs that truly make a difference. Through their initiatives, they have been instrumental in providing support and resources to military families across the nation.

It is for this reason that CVS Health has proudly supported and sponsored their 2022 solutions summit, food donation events in 2023 and stepped up to support the military spouse advisory board so we can learn about the challenges faced by our customers from the military connected communities.?

After Ash completed his comments, Shannon Razsadin , President and Executive Director of MFAN came up and shared the history of how the organization began. One organization, Reingold, Inc. , stepped up with a vision and funding that empowered her ability to develop a strategy to make that vision a reality. ?

Shannon, her board, and the MFAN team have? worked over the last 10 years to give our military families a voice. Last night, that voice came in the form of a song.? MFAN partnered with CreatiVets who helped their advisory board tell the story of the military family. The title of the song says it all Unseen.?

Watch Unseen by CreatiVets

For those interested in learning more about MFAN and getting involved, I highly recommend checking out their website at www.MFAN.org. They currently have a survey open for service members, veterans, and military spouses, which provides an opportunity to contribute your valuable insights and experiences.

Let's join hands in celebrating MFAN's 10 years of unwavering support and dedication to our military families. Together, we can make a difference and empower our military-connected community to thrive.