The Armed Services YMCA is thrilled to partner with Jack Daniel’s for the 9th year of Jack Daniel’s Operation Ride Home. 
Since 2011, Jack Daniel's Operation Ride Home has helped bring military families together for the holidays. Operation Ride Home provides financial assistance to eligible currently serving junior enlisted military service members and their families to travel from their duty station back home. Operation Ride Home helps ease travel and offset costs for destinations at least 350 miles from the service member’s place of duty.
Funds are allocated to the 13 Armed Services YMCA branches for distribution. This year, those funds will cover nearly 600 more travelers than last year. Last year, Operation Ride Home helped 822 people make it home for the holidays.
“While we are overjoyed to be able to help even more junior enlisted military members spend time with loved ones at the holidays, each year there are never enough funds to support the many requests we receive,” William French, President/CEO of the Armed Services YMCA, said. “We wish all of those protecting our nation would be able to go home for the holidays.”
We need your help to make sure our service members can go home for the holidays. A gift of $400 will help a junior enlisted service member defray the cost of a flight. A gift of $100 will help a service member with the costs of driving home to family for the holidays. Whatever amount you give, you are helping service members return and reunite with their loved ones at the holidays.
"There are so many of our service members away from their families from the holidays, and they don't always have the means to travel to home to their families. For every service member helped by Operation Ride Home, there are 10 more waiting," Jeff Arnett, Jack Daniel's master distiller, said. "Jack Daniel's is honored to be able help junior enlisted service members and their families make it home for the holidays."
Operation Ride Home is funded through the generous contributions of Jack Daniel’s, Jack Daniel’s Distributors and the general public, along with support from the Armed Services YMCA.
Hear from those who have been helped by Operation Ride Home:
- "Your monetary contribution was essential to my trip to California during Holiday Block Leave. With your assistance, I was able to see my family after a long, long year of being away from home. I cannot stress enough how relieved I was to visit my family in the wake of the wildfires in California. To see them safe from all the unfortunate damage that has occurred in that area exponentially made my visit that much better. I additionally took the opportunity to propose to my high school sweetheart during my visit, which was facilitated by your contributions from Operation Ride Home. I am now engaged and couldn't be happier. There is no way this trip would have been possible without your help." – SPC Joseph Scuderi
- “Thanks to your assistance, after I married my girlfriend of 6 years, I was able to take her to a nice little honeymoon of sorts. We got a nice hotel room in Donegal, PA and visited Frank Lloyd Wright’s [Fallingwater]… We both needed it, and my now wife and I both thank you!” – James Rokosky
- “I just want to thank you for allowing me to be a part of those selected for assistance during the holidays. I was able to go home and visit my family and friends... It's always nice to be able to go visit and catch up. Also, food is always a plus! I hope you all enjoyed the holidays as much as I did, and again, thank you very much." – SPC Chris Wheeler
Above: Armed Services YMCA San Diego was thrilled to help send U.S. Navy Sailor Rocio Rodriguez to Texas to get married.
ABOUT ARMED SERVICES YMCA:
The Armed Services YMCA is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit that serves currently serving military members and their families. In 2018, we engaged more than 225,000 people in our programs and delivered nearly 1 million points of services to junior enlisted Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen, Coast Guardsmen and family members at 200 service centers in 18 states. Whether providing respite child care for parents in need, summer camps for kids, or assisting with emergency needs, the Armed Services YMCA is a nonprofit with a mission: Strengthening Our Military Family. Visit our website to see how you can join us in supporting military families.
