Serving in the military, leaving home and getting deployed onto harm’s way is very difficult for every solider. But for those with families that they had to leave behind, it can even be more painful. Because of this, military service men and women often struggle to find something that they can send to their loved ones – especially for their young children – back home. Whether it is a letter, a piece of band aid or a bottle of sunscreen lotion it can mean the whole world to the little kids waiting for their mom or dad to return.

In an attempt to find something truly significant that the troops could effortlessly send to their loved ones, Rose Sliepka implemented a program that allows soldiers to send something that their kids could proudly wear and hold on to until they get back home. This came in the form of a dog tag, which is sent in an appropriate service color to a grateful service member, all free of charge. Small, light and easy to mail, the dog tags were being shipped as a form of gratitude and support from those who were willing to donate for the cause. The grassroots effort became famous among moms, dads and of course, to the kids waiting for them.

Together with Kids Charities of the Antelope Valley, the initiative grew to become a well-recognized, non-profit organization known as the Dog Tags for Kids. The people behind them were able to pursue private and public donations and significantly expand the program. Starting with just a handful of dedicated volunteers and the massive support obtained from the public, the organization was already able to ship nearly 800,000 dog tags overseas last November 2012 and sent back home to their children. The impact that the program has made was, and still is, phenomenal, and the troops cannot be more appreciative and thankful for the people that support them.