As you may have heard, in a few months MFSO, the non-profit organization, will officially close down. The bank account will be closed, the Board of Directors will disband, and the not-for-profit status will be ended – freeing MFSO of complicated tax, insurance, and other financial and other problems which have bogged down the Board over the last few years.

Fortunately, there is a group of MFSO members who have the energy and who are working to develop a plan so that we can continue as an all-volunteer organization, not as a non-profit. This newly restructured organization will allow military families to effectively move forward  with the mission statement MFSO has had since the build-up of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, “Support the troops, bring them home now, and take care of them when they get home.”

Under this plan, military families could continue to lobby members of congress locally and nationally, continue sharing our stories with the media, holding vigils, participating in protests against the war in Afghanistan, working to support families who are in crisis while their loved ones continue or consider joining the military, and working with other peace and justice groups locally and nationally.

At this point, we have a number of MFSO members who have unified with this goal in mind and plan to participate in a MilitaryFamilies working group. Because we are spread out across the country, our planning and coordination for now will be by conference phone calls and emails. If you would like to participate in this Military Families working group, please let us know right away. We would like to hear your suggestions regarding what work is the most essential work that needs to be done,  how you think we can do this work, how we can encourage the revitalization of local and national work, how we can bring in new members, and other things you think can help the Military Families working group move forward.

If you want to be part of this MilitaryFamilies working group, please send your name, e-mail, city and state, and phone number to mfso@mfso.org so that we can be in touch with you.

Thanks so much.

Pat Alviso, Jeff Merrick, Rossana Cambron, California
Military Families Speak Out, Orange County & South Bay Chapter
www.mfsooc.org
562-597-3980