Mission Moment: Jamie Growing Up in Angels Program
Jamie lost her father, Army Staff Sgt. Michael B., at a very young age. Soon after, Angels of America’s Fallen stepped in to help Jamie and her mom with the loss of their hero.
Jamie has taken advantage of the support provided by Angels as seen in the photos of her dancing and band performances. Her mother is grateful to the Angels program for its continued support of Jamie over the many years.
“She’s really a beautiful person and you guys have helped me so much with paying for the extra activities over the years,” her mom wrote. “I can’t express how grateful I am.”
Angels has been with Jamie and her mother each step of the way, from supporter donations to staff providing case management until Jamie turns 19. It takes a village in Honoring the Fallen by Supporting the Dreams of their Children.
“It’s not an easy road doing it alone,” her mom wrote. “She is so in love with the extra programs she does. She has been a part of it for a long time. Thank you again!”
Jamie is one of more than 16,000 children who have lost a parent who died as a result of military service since 9/11. Like Jamie, most of the children are very young at the time of loss (average age – 7).
Statistics show that the children have a greater likelihood for depression, anxiety, poor academic performance, behavior problems, substance abuse, and even suicide. Angels of America’s Fallen mitigates these risks by providing regular opportunities for participation in extracurricular interest such as sports, fitness, art, music, theater and other activities. Research demonstrates that feeling connected and engaged with at least two areas outside of family such as school/afterschool activities, positive peers, athletics, employment, religion, culture and the arts is a protective factor that can mitigate the risks associated with parental loss. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Adolescent Health, April 2016)
Join us in honoring the long-term commitment Angels makes to children of the Fallen. If you are interested in donating or learning more about our organization, visit https://aoafallen.org/donate.
