Family Assistance Program

Active-Duty Service Members, Active-Duty First Responders & Gold Star Families and Families of Fallen Active-Duty First Responders

⚠️ Important Program Update

Operation First Response was founded with a clear and urgent purpose: to stand beside Active-Duty Service Members and their families during times of crisis.

For the first five years of our mission, Active-Duty families were the sole focus of our emergency assistance efforts. We walked hospital hallways, stood beside families during deployment-related hardships, and responded to the immediate needs of those serving on the front lines.

As the needs of our nation’s Heroes evolved, we expanded our support to include Veterans, proudly serving them for 18 years with compassion and commitment.

Today, as global tensions rise and an increasing number of Active-Duty Service Members return home severely injured or facing urgent service-related hardships, we are once again called to respond in real time.

In order to meet this moment responsibly and effectively, we have returned our emergency financial assistance program to its founding focus, serving those who are currently serving.

Effective immediately, our Family Assistance Program serves:

  • Active-Duty Service Members (all branches)

  • Active-Duty First Responders, including:

    • Law Enforcement Officers

    • Firefighters

    • EMS Personnel

    • Paramedics

    • 911 Dispatchers

  • Gold Star Families

  • Families of Fallen Active-Duty First Responders

This decision reflects our responsibility to deploy limited resources where the need is most immediate.

Since our founding, Operation First Response has proudly served both Active-Duty Service Members and Veterans. We remain deeply grateful for the trust Veterans have placed in our organization and for the opportunity to have stood beside you over the years.

Our focus has narrowed, but our respect and gratitude have not.

🇺🇸 Continued Support for Veterans

While Veterans are no longer eligible for emergency financial assistance under this program, Operation First Response continues to serve Veterans through dedicated initiatives designed to promote long-term stability, healing, and opportunity.

Project Specialized Training

Qualifying Veterans may receive:

  • Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Certification Training

  • CompTIA Security+ Certification Training

These nationally recognized certifications open doors to high-demand careers in information technology and cybersecurity — creating long-term financial stability and opportunity.

There is no cost to qualifying Veterans for participation.

info@operationfirstresponse.org

Last Mission Project

Through our Last Mission Project, Operation First Response provides financial assistance to qualifying Veterans and First Responders who are entering or actively participating in approved inpatient treatment programs for PTSD, substance use, or other trauma-related conditions.

We understand that financial stress is often the final barrier preventing a Hero from seeking critical treatment.

This initiative helps remove that burden — allowing Veterans to focus fully on recovery without the added weight of financial crisis.

Support is reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

If you are a Veteran seeking assistance through Project Specialized Training or the Last Mission Project, please email:

info@operationfirstresponse.org

🇺🇸 Critical Resources for Veterans

If you or a Veteran you know is in need of immediate support, the following trusted resources are available:

Veterans Crisis Line (24/7)
Dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255

National Call Center for Homeless Veterans
Call 877-4AID-VET (424-3838)

VA Main Information Line (MyVA411)
Call 800-698-2411

Claims Assistance
Free assistance is available through:
DAV (Disabled American Veterans)
The American Legion
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)

Benefits Management
Veterans may research, apply for, and manage benefits through:
VA.gov
The EBenefits Portal

Supporting Our Nation’s Heroes in Real Time

When a Service Member or First Responder faces sudden crisis, the impact on their family is immediate.

Unexpected travel.
Loss of income.
Medical expenses.
Housing instability.
Utility shutoffs.
Vehicle breakdowns.

Operation First Response exists to stand in that gap, providing immediate stabilization so families can focus on healing, recovery, and mission readiness.

Emergency assistance may include

Each case is individually reviewed and based on verified emergency need. Assistance may include:

  • Rent or mortgage support

  • Utility payments (electric, gas, water)

  • Groceries and essential household needs

  • Vehicle payments

  • Essential vehicle repairs

  • Fuel assistance

  • Clothing for children and families

  • Travel expenses to and from major medical facilities

  • Temporary relocation support (excluding hotel stays)

  • Critical medical-related expenses not covered elsewhere

  • Other verified emergency financial needs directly related to service-connected hardship

Assistance is dependent upon available funding at the time of request.

How to Request Assistance

Operation First Response no longer opens a public application window.

If you believe you qualify and are experiencing an emergency financial hardship, please email:

info@operationfirstresponse.org

In your email, please include:

  • Full name of the Service Member or First Responder

  • Last 4 of the Service Member or First Responder’s Social Security number

  • Branch of service or First Responder role

  • A brief description of the emergency situation

  • A contact phone number

For Gold Star Families

Please include:

  • Name of your fallen Service Member

  • Last 4 of your Fallen Hero’s Social Security number

  • Branch of service

  • Your relationship to the Service Member

  • A brief explanation of your current need

For Families of Fallen Active-Duty First Responders

Please include:

  • Name of the Fallen First Responder

  • Last 4 of your Fallen First Responder’s Social Security number

  • Department or agency

  • Your relationship to the First Responder

  • A brief explanation of your current need

Chain of Command representatives, casualty assistance officers, rear detach, family readiness groups and department leadership may contact us on behalf of a Service Member, First Responder, or surviving family.

Submitting an inquiry does not guarantee assistance. All cases are evaluated individually based on eligibility, urgency, and available funding.

23 Years of Service

For nearly 23 years, Operation First Response has stood beside our nation’s Heroes, responding in moments of crisis, walking through hospital corridors, supporting grieving families, and stabilizing households when everything felt uncertain.

From our earliest days serving Active-Duty Service Members to the expansion of programs supporting Veterans and First Responders, our mission has remained rooted in one unwavering principle:

Show up. Stand firm. Serve with integrity.

As operational demands increase and families face real-time crisis situations once again, our purpose remains clear:

To stand beside those currently serving, and to honor those who have served, through decisive action, compassion, and steadfast commitment.

For 23 years, we have answered the call.

And we will continue to do so in honor of a grateful nation.