After quick introductions by the Council Members, we officially welcomed Abbi to the Council with time to share her background.

The Favorite Resources Discussion was designed for each Council Member to pick and share one "big" resource and one "small" resource. For the purposes of this discussion, we defined "big" as those resources that are very well known no matter their size by personnel or geography, or those that are very large in size and/or scope whether they are nationally well known or not. Our "small" resources were defined as those that are local and not well known, or large in size by not well known.

Join the Alabama Military Spouse Mentorship-HUB

Military-Connected Spouses living in and moving to Alabama may join the MSAN Alabama Mentorship-HUB (AL-HUB) to watch a replay of the Council Meeting, in addition to past and future meeting recordings. The AL-HUB is our unique experience for Alabama's military-connected spouses to interact with the Council and each other across all components, branches, and stages of military life including Veteran, retiree, and Gold Star spouses. It is a safe space off social media to continue our in person conversations and expand on information and resources shared during Council meetings and other upcoming events.

Join us in the AL-HUB today to find out why each resource was selected as a favorite:

https://www.heroeswelcome.alabama.gov/alabama-mentorship-hub/

Resources Shared During the Meeting

While Alabama’s military-connected spouses will enjoy the best experience inside the AL-HUB, here is a quick list of resources shared by our Council Members during the meeting:

Blue Star Museums -

https://bluestarfam.org/family-life/blue-star-museums/

• free museum visits

Heart of Alabama Food Bank's Military Family Program -

https://hafb.org/

• food delivery to military families in need

Hiring Our Heroes -

http://hiringourheroes.org/

• certification programs and the HOH Military Spouse Fellowship Program

Operation Deploy Your Dress -

http://operationdeployyourdress.org/

• gowns and jewelry for military spouses and teens with military ID

Five & Thrive -

https://www.fiveandthrive.org/

• collaboratively tackling the top five quality of life issues: Childcare, Education, Healthcare, Housing, and Spouse Employment

MIC3 - Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission -

https://mic3.net/

• ease educational transitions for military-connected students and enforce the Compact's rules

Coast Guard Mutual Assistance -

https://mycgma.org/

• the official relief society of the U.S. Coast Guard

Stronghold Food Pantry -

http://strongholdfoodpantry.org/

• food, necessities, and resources for military families facing food insecurity

American Red Cross: Services to the Armed Forces Division -

https://www.redcross.org/

• offering support to military families for everyday issues, and impacting local communities through volunteer partnerships like the one at Maxwell Air Force Base that assists in recruiting and training a growing number of volunteers to boost support of the Base pharmacy

ADVON -

https://www.montgomerychamber.com/advon

• military spouse employment program of the Montgomery City Chamber of Commerce

Epic Pass -

https://www.epicpass.com/pass-results/military.aspx

• seasonal ski pass bundles for military families

Armed Forces Vacation Club -

https://www.afvclub.com/

• discounted vacation options for military families

MSAN - Military Spouse Advocacy Network -

https://www.militaryspouseadvocacynetwork.org/

• education, empowerment, and support to military-connected spouses through multiple programs including the new Leadership Institute for Military Spouses, and the Alabama Military Spouse Mentorship-HUB

MCEC - Military Child Education Coalition -

https://militarychild.org/

• programs, resources, and guidance for parents, students, and educators —helping the children stay on course academically, socially, and emotionally

Next Meeting of the Alabama Military Spouse Advisory Council

The Council’s next quarterly meeting will be held via Zoom on April 24, 2025. Military-connected spouses moving to and living in Alabama can access the Zoom link for this upcoming meeting when they join the AL-HUB. Submit the sign-up form today.