Community Engagement

According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (2026), military consumers reported $584 million in fraud losses in 2024. This breaks down to more than 99,000 fraud reports and 38,000 identity theft reports submitted, with a median loss of $700 per instance. These losses often exceed those experienced by the general population, which underscores the value of making consumer protection an essential component of military financial education.

The years following high school is a critical period for young adults with disabilities as they transition into employment, post-secondary education, adult services, and independent living. Male caregivers can play a valuable role in helping young adults identify goals, access supports, and build the skills needed for adulthood.

Strong interviewing skills do more than help you land a job—they build confidence, resilience, and the ability to navigate challenging situations with professionalism. With preparation and practice, interviews become opportunities to grow rather than obstacles to overcome. In this blog, we share practical strategies for succeeding in both in-person and virtual interviews, along with tips for educators and providers to help learners build confidence and thrive throughout the interview process.

The transition to middle school is a critical period in youth development as children experience increased independence, new academic expectations, and changing social relationships. Continued male caregiver involvement during this stage can support adolescents’ overall development, including academic, emotional, and social growth.

Military families continue to face challenges in accessing reliable, affordable, and high-quality childcare, which directly impacts spouse employment, financial stability, and overall family readiness. Despite the availability of supported programs and community-based options; the frequent relocations, the long waitlists, and the system complexity often make access to childcare difficult. Addressing these barriers requires coordinated, cross-sector solutions that strengthens access to childcare and enhances workforce development while supporting the broader needs of military-connected families.

Financial strain among service members is rising, but early financial education and practical tools can help prevent crises and strengthen both family well-being and mission readiness. By guiding families through assessments, spending awareness, and military-specific budgeting strategies, service providers can support long-term financial stability. In this blog, learn actionable strategies and resources to help military families build financial capability and resilience.

Fathers and other male caregivers have an important role in the development and academic success of their children. In this blog we explain the importance of father involvement, barriers to father involvement, and strategies school personnel can use to enhance father engagement.

Military spouses often feel reliant upon temporary jobs or word-of-mouth opportunities after a PCS, which may meet short-term needs but rarely support long-term career growth. Family Readiness Providers can help bridge this gap by building partnerships with local employers, highlighting the strengths of military spouse talent, and connecting communities with national resources. Through intentional collaboration, these partnerships can transform into meaningful career opportunities that strengthen military family stability and readiness.

In this blog, we explore how bill negotiation can serve as a practical and empowering financial skill for service members and their families. Bill negotiation is an often-overlooked strategy that can create immediate breathing room in a household budget — without cutting services or opening new accounts. By preparing ahead, referencing competitor pricing, and asking for retention or loyalty discounts, clients can often lower recurring expenses with a single phone call and redirect those savings toward debt repayment, savings, or other financial priorities.

Problem-solving is more than fixing what’s broken—it’s a core skill for staying calm, thinking clearly, and adapting when challenges show up at work or in training. This blog breaks down the difference between everyday and professional problem-solving, offers simple reflection and practice tools, and shares strategies for providers to teach these skills in ways that build confidence and resilience over time.