As More Than 600,000 Military-Connected Families Relocate Each Year, Blue Star Welcome Week Helps Communities Open Their Doors

Hundreds of events nationwide will celebrate military families, build connections, and help military children feel at home in their new communities

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Star Families, the nation's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting military and veteran families, will host Blue Star Welcome Week 2026 presented by Target from September 26 through October 4, bringing communities across the country together with hundreds of events to welcome and support the more than 600,000 military-connected families who relocate each year.

The annual nationwide event raises awareness of the unique challenges military families face while inspiring neighbors, businesses, schools, and community organizations to help military families build connections and a sense of belonging in their new communities after permanent change of station (PCS) moves, the military term for a move to a new duty station. Through get-to-know-your community events like city tours and scavenger hunts, volunteer opportunities, and community partnerships, Welcome Week helps military families connect with the communities in which they live.

Welcome Week will feature nationwide community experiences from coast to coast, bookended by two marquee "All Hands on Deck: To Nourish The Service" gatherings: one aboard the USS Midway Museum in San Diego on September 28 and the other at the Virginia Air & Space Science Center in Hampton, Virginia, on October 5.

Hosted by Blue Star Families, in partnership with Welcome Week Presenting Sponsor, Target, these events will bring together hundreds of volunteer employees from Target to assemble and distribute 1,000 pantry kits in each location filled with Target-owned brand food essentials for military families who have recently relocated to the San Diego and Hampton Roads areas and who, like many relocating families, face unexpected costs and challenges associated with moving.

Communities nationwide will host events throughout the week, including block parties, scavenger hunts, community tours, outdoor experiences, and other activities designed to help military families connect with their new neighbors and learn about their new community. Highlights include:

• The New England Chapter will host an event with the Navy Band Northeast at the USS Constitution Museum.
• The Tampa Bay Chapter will welcome families to Legoland, a Tampa Bay Lightning game, and the largest Welcome Week event ever at the Florida Aquarium.
• The Chicagoland Chapter will bring families to a multicultural fair and hold a Welcome Home Fall Festival.
• The Maryland Chapter will host a train ride into Washington, D.C. and visit the Baltimore Museum of Art.
• The Puget Sound Chapter will hold a scavenger hunt in Seattle and host families at the Woodland Park Zoo.
• The Craig Newmark New York Tri-State Chapter will host a tour in the city.
• The Dayton & Southwestern Ohio Chapter will tour the Sharonville Transmission Plant during Ford Family Day.
• The Sheila and George Casey National Capital Region Chapter will host families for a Washington Nationals baseball game and D.C. United soccer game.
• The Military Families Outdoors program will provide nature guides along with outdoor education kits to help families explore their new communities.

In addition, Welcome Week sponsors will participate in events throughout the week. Macy's will host select military spouses for a private shopping experience in three store locations, and Starbucks Coffee Company will host more than 50 Coffee Connects at coffeehouses across the country. Expect OREO Cookie Challenges at all 14 Blue Star Families Chapter events donated by Mondelez International.

A full list of events is available at the Blue Star Welcome Week website, welcomeweek.bluestarfam.org/events.

A Longstanding Focus on Military Children

This year, Blue Star Welcome Week will build on its longstanding focus on military children by highlighting the unique challenges they face as they move between communities and schools throughout their childhood.

According to the Department of War's 2024 Active Duty Spouse Survey, military families move approximately every two to three years, three times as often as non-military families, and military children often attend multiple schools before graduating. Each move means leaving behind friends, teachers, and familiar routines and starting over in a new community.

"Military families move frequently and uproot their lives as they follow the mission. We all have a role to play in making sure they feel welcome and connected," said Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO of Blue Star Families. "Blue Star Welcome Week is a chance for military families to find community and for Everyday Americans to discover how they can show up and do their part. Whether you're a military family or an Everyday American who wants to support those who serve, join Blue Star Families to find your place and learn how you can make a difference during Welcome Week and all year long."

That sense of connection matters. Blue Star Families' research has found that military families continue to face significant challenges related to belonging, financial strain, and food security. Only 37% of military families say they would recommend military service to a young family member, down from 60% a decade ago, underscoring the importance of strengthening the communities that support those who serve.

A National Moment

As the nation marks its 250th anniversary, Blue Star Welcome Week provides an opportunity to recognize the families who serve alongside our nation's service members and turn gratitude into action.

Blue Star Welcome Week 2026 is supported by presenting sponsor Target, as well as craig newmark philanthropies, CSX, Macy's, Starbucks, Chobani, OREO, Leonardo DRS, Morgan Stanley, T-Mobile, Amazon, along with other corporations, private foundations, local small businesses, and nonprofit partner organizations. 

Blue Star Families encourages Everyday Americans to Do Your Part to welcome military families during Welcome Week and beyond by joining or hosting an event, sharing resources to spread the word, or making a donation. For more information and to get involved, visit bluestarwelcomeweek.org.

About Blue Star Families
Blue Star Families (BSF) is the nation's largest military and veteran family support organization. Its research-driven approach builds strong communities with a focus on human-centered design and innovative solutions. A "blue star family" is the family of a currently serving military member, including active duty, National Guard, reserve forces, and those transitioning out of service. Since its founding in 2009, BSF has delivered more than $336 million in benefits and impacts more than 1.5 million people annually through an expansive network of chapters and outposts. Blue Star Families launched Blue Star Welcome Week in 2020 as a national week of activation designed to help military families feel welcome and inspire community members to do their part to support them.

SOURCE Blue Star Families