Each year, approximately 600,000 military families make a PCS (permanent change of station) move to a new community. To make the transition easier and to inspire communities across the country to support military families, Blue Star Families started Blue Star Welcome Week, which takes place this year from September 21-29. Blue Star Welcome Week aims to connect military families to resources in their new communities, helping them to rebuild their support network and develop a sense of belonging. The initiative began in 2020, and has grown to involve several major partners, media outreach, and many partner events and activities throughout the country.

To discuss Blue Star Welcome Week and how it aims to improve the lives of military families who’ve recently moved, Sarah Roder, AAFMAA Director of Partnership and Member Engagement, spoke with Leah Love, Director, Brand Marketing and Community Engagement at Blue Star Families. In her position, Love manages community-based corporate partnerships to support military families and is the project lead for Blue Star Welcome Week. Love holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of Michigan. A proud Navy spouse for more than 19 years, Leah Love, along with her husband and two sons, currently resides in Rhode Island.

To learn more about Blue Star Welcome Week, visit the website at www.bluestarwelcomeweek.org and watch the discussion below.