On the final day of Military Family Appreciation Month, I'd love to share how your generosity directly helps military families like mine — and to ask for your help. (But if you already know you want to support our service members this holiday season, I hope you'll make a donation to the USO now.)

The holidays are tough for military families as we often face long separations from our loved ones. While my husband is now a veteran, my brother continues to serve, which means our family still feels those difficult holiday separations. One of my most treasured USO memories is from a layover on my husband’s TDY, when he reenlisted my brother at a USO Center. Our family couldn’t be there to witness this milestone, but thanks to the USO, he and my husband could share that moment together. Experiences like this bridge the distance between us — and they’re only possible because of generous supporters like you.

Many of us worry during this time of year: Are our service members safe? Do they have enough warm clothing to face the brutal winter? Do they get lonely when they're on shift and the rest of the family is gathered around the Thanksgiving table? Thanks to the USO, we can keep connected even from a distance. And our service members receive the essentials they need, from care packages filled with supplies to a warm holiday meal that reminds them of home.

But these programs depend on support from generous individuals like you. Right now, on the last day of Military Family Appreciation Month, we’re still short of our $50,000 goal.

So, I’m asking personally: Could you help military families separated during the holidays? Your donation of $29 or more before midnight tonight could mean a warm holiday meal, a video call or a connection to home for a service member far away.

Thank you for always standing with military families like mine. Your support makes all the difference.

Jamie Finfrock, USO