Author: NFLPA Communications with Jackson In Action
“The mission of Jackson in Action 83 Foundation, Inc. (“Jackson in Action”) is to help United States military servicemen and service women stay connected with their children during their deployments away from home and raise community awareness of the relational issues existing between deployed United States service members and their children,” said Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Vincent Jackson.
According to the foundation’s website (http://jacksoninaction83.org/), Jackson in Action is less than a year old but has already taken significant steps to help deployed families deal with the emotional, physical and educational challenges with their children.
The two-time Pro-Bowl wide receiver is the son of two military parents, who Jackson credit with raising him with structure and discipline. On the foundation’s website, Jackson states that one of the real threats to a close bond between military parents and their children is their deployment away from the family. “My desire is to parlay success in football into an organization that can help military moms and dads maintain close relationships with their children and even though separated by miles and time zones help those parents influence the lives of their children,” said Jackson.
Jackson In Action’s goal is to touch every deployed family with fun, facts, and effective tools and to be as resolute in its mission as those families’ soldiers are to protect citizens’ freedom.
Here’s a look at some of Jackson In Action’s first programs:
With the cooperation of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 250 tickets to Tampa home games were provided for recently returning soldiers and their spouses and kids. Attendees get a commemorative t-shirt and their pictures broadcast on the big screen scoreboard. Negotiations are under way to expand this pilot program to other professional sports in the Tampa area and long-range plans are to set up programs in every NFL city.
With input from experts and talented writers and illustrators, Jackson in Action is creating a series of children’s books to help kids and their parents deal with some of the educational, physical, and emotional programs that deployment can bring. These age appropriate books are designed to be fun to read and highlight not only the struggles but the triumphs and the amazing resiliency of deployed families. The first volume “The Home Front: Adventures of Danny DogTags” will be available in the coming months, followed by a story about Danny’s female cousin Khaki and her pet seal Navy.
On the foundation’s website and in print, Jackson in Action is compiling a comprehensive guide to resources available for deployed families. There are already wonderful organizations, educators, and counselors who have developed helpful materials. Jackson’s goal is for his foundation to be a one-stop shop for deployed families.
Another goal of Jackson in Action is to raise awareness for educators as schools and teachers must also cope with a variety of the issues that children of deployed parents face. The foundation seeks to provide background information and tools so teachers can help children through with any educational problems they may have as a result of a family member’s deployment.
Once a year, the Jackson in Action Foundation will convene an important conference of educators, researchers, deployed families, military leaders and foundation supporters to assess its progress and share the best practices for dealing with the challenges of deployed families.
Orignal article published on: https://www.nflplayers.com/Articles/Community-News/Vincent-Jacksons-Foundation-Aids-Military-Families/
