Military Family Month

During the month of November, the Y celebrates, honors, and remembers our veterans and their families who have bravely served and sacrificed so much for our community and country.

The Y has a long history serving members of the military and their families, dating back to 1861 when Y volunteers came to the aid of service members during the Civil War, caring for the sick and wounded. Over the next 150 years, the Armed Services YMCA, as it became known, supported military members serving in the Spanish American War, World War I, World War II and through the Korean War and conflict in Vietnam. In 1980, the Armed Services Y established the Military Family Resource Center to provide long-term support to members of the military and their families. Recognized as an important part of serving our veterans, the Military Family Resource Center became a permanent faction of the Department of Defense in 1983.

Across the country, thousands of military members and their families join their local Y through this national partnership with the Armed Services Y and the Department of Defense. Locally, your Y serves over 5,000 military-connected individuals each year. At the Y, we aim to support our military families through membership and programs that foster family time, encourage community, and build connections during and after deployment.

This Veterans Day, the Y honors the more than 150,000 veterans who call South Hampton Roads home with no joining fee on Friday November 10 and Saturday November 11. Stop by your Y to sign up! We hope to continue to support a community that sacrifices so much, and for the opportunity to serve those that have served our country loyally to help build a better, stronger us.