Growing Healthy Military Families

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SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, ILLINOIS (05/01/2015)(readMedia)-- Story by Senior Airman Elise Stout, 126th Air Refueling Wing, Public Affairs

Members of the Illinois Air and Army National Guard, Air Force, and Air Force Reserves came together Monday, April 27 at the Mid-America Army National Guard Readiness Center, Shiloh, Illinois, to learn healthy eating habits from Operation Homefront.

Darcy Clardy, the organizer of Growing Healthy Military Families said this is the first time that Operation Homefront has partnered with Walmart to teach healthy living to military families.

Clardy wrote the grant that provided the funding show ILNG families how to be healthy while living on a budget.

"We are trying to make our programs more education based to help the families for a longer period of time," said Clardy. "We are providing the information and the resources to help the families make better choices."

The most recent event at the readiness center included different stations for attendees that are looking to shop on a budget as well as how to grow their own vegetables. The county health department was present trying to involve families in newer, healthier habits. Members from the county health department and the Health and Wellness Center on Scott Air Force Base, including the flight chief and the dietician, were also present.

"I want to go home and plant something now," said Heather Jordan, a servicemember's spouse that lives on Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.

Clardy said the main goal of this event was to teach families how to avoid food assistance and influence more healthy eating habits.

Those that attended were given about 40 pounds of healthy fruits and vegetables, a Home Depot gift card to shop for seeds for a garden, a healthy eating cook book, and cloth grocery bags. Any children that were at the event were also supplied with their very own gardening tools.

Cutline1: Tech. Sgt. Filip Pantovich, a member of the 561st Network Operations Squadron, Detachment 3, talks with Elizabeth Merkel, a member of Community Helpings out of St. Louis, as she explains the services offered by Community Helpings at a Growing Healthy Military Families event sponsored by Operation Homefront in Shiloh, Ill., April 27, 2015. The campaign includes military families from active duty, the reserves, and the Illinois National Guard and teaches eating healthy on a budget and growing gardens. (Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Elise Stout)

Cutline2: Members and spouses from Scott Air Force Base came together during a Growing Healthy Military Families event sponsored by Operation Homefront in Shiloh Ill., April 27, 2015. The campaign includes military families from active duty, the reserves, and the Illinois National Guard and teaches eating healthy on a budget and home gardening. (Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Elise Stout)