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Judy Minard goes above and beyond to help military families
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By Michelle Brooks
News Tribune
Coffee, doughnuts and a smile at 3 a.m. were a welcome contribution to a unit's Welcome Home ceremony from Judy Minard, whose husband didn't even deploy with the unit due to retirement.
“Anytime they come home, it's a really good day. Those are the best times,” Minard said.
That was only a final gift following dozens of packages and cards Minard had sent personally or coordinated through a group, including for every birthday and holiday.
Minard even mailed a microwave so now-Warrant Office Candidate Melissa Ireland could warm her own soup after 13-hour days.
And since Ireland's family lives hours from Jefferson City, Minard took care of her home, too.
“It was like I was her adopted daughter,” Ireland said. “I never went without.”
Ireland is now Minard's boss in the Missouri National Guard's State Family Program Office.
“She brings years of military spouse knowledge and Family Readiness Group knowledge and she's been through a unit deployment,” Ireland said. “She has real-world knowledge that you can't learn from a textbook.”
Since June, Minard has been paid to support military families in the same way she had been volunteering for decades. And she has been involved with the Guard's new Hero Program, which helps soldiers returning from deployment and their families reintegrate.
“She has more passion than anyone I have ever met,” Ireland said. “She's making the community better by the stuff she does.”
In addition to her paid work, Minard operates a food pantry out of the Blue Armory on St. Mary's Boulevard and she helped organize a support group for Mid-Missouri families who have friends or family deployed.
“I don't think she's ever turned away someone from the PX,” Ireland said. “It's hard to describe what she does for others and for me.”
The Military Family PX opened in 2004 when her husband was deployed with the 835th in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. It began as a partnership with the Veterans of Foreign Wars; they would keep it stocked if she ran it.
Four years later, Minard's is the only such pantry that has operated continually since that time, thanks to local food drives and donations. It is open to any military family 4:30-6 p.m. on Thursdays.
The shelves are stocked with macaroni and cheese, spaghetti and sauce, diapers and easy-to-fix snacks for kids. And modest donations of new clothing, books and toys will help with Christmas this year, Minard said.
The number of families coming to use the PX and the amount of donations both have been on the rise.
“I tell them this isn't because you're destitute,” Minard said. “A little less on the groceries means a little more to spend on the kids.
“It's not a hand-out, just an extra thanks for what you're doing.”
“Anytime they come home, it's a really good day. Those are the best times,” Minard said.
That was only a final gift following dozens of packages and cards Minard had sent personally or coordinated through a group, including for every birthday and holiday.
Minard even mailed a microwave so now-Warrant Office Candidate Melissa Ireland could warm her own soup after 13-hour days.
And since Ireland's family lives hours from Jefferson City, Minard took care of her home, too.
“It was like I was her adopted daughter,” Ireland said. “I never went without.”
Ireland is now Minard's boss in the Missouri National Guard's State Family Program Office.
“She brings years of military spouse knowledge and Family Readiness Group knowledge and she's been through a unit deployment,” Ireland said. “She has real-world knowledge that you can't learn from a textbook.”
Since June, Minard has been paid to support military families in the same way she had been volunteering for decades. And she has been involved with the Guard's new Hero Program, which helps soldiers returning from deployment and their families reintegrate.
“She has more passion than anyone I have ever met,” Ireland said. “She's making the community better by the stuff she does.”
In addition to her paid work, Minard operates a food pantry out of the Blue Armory on St. Mary's Boulevard and she helped organize a support group for Mid-Missouri families who have friends or family deployed.
“I don't think she's ever turned away someone from the PX,” Ireland said. “It's hard to describe what she does for others and for me.”
The Military Family PX opened in 2004 when her husband was deployed with the 835th in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. It began as a partnership with the Veterans of Foreign Wars; they would keep it stocked if she ran it.
Four years later, Minard's is the only such pantry that has operated continually since that time, thanks to local food drives and donations. It is open to any military family 4:30-6 p.m. on Thursdays.
The shelves are stocked with macaroni and cheese, spaghetti and sauce, diapers and easy-to-fix snacks for kids. And modest donations of new clothing, books and toys will help with Christmas this year, Minard said.
The number of families coming to use the PX and the amount of donations both have been on the rise.
“I tell them this isn't because you're destitute,” Minard said. “A little less on the groceries means a little more to spend on the kids.
“It's not a hand-out, just an extra thanks for what you're doing.”
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AMAZED wrote on Nov 25, 2008 10:34 AM: