Holiday Events Support Fort Worth Military Families
The 12th annual initiative provides holiday meals and gifts to junior enlisted families at the naval base.
Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Philanthropy
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Should military families rely on nonprofit charity rather than government resources for holiday support?
Nonprofit organization Holidays & Heroes is holding its 12th annual holiday event for junior enlisted military families at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth. The initiative provides meals, gifts, and holiday programming to support service members and their families.
Why it matters
Military families often face significant financial strain and social isolation due to frequent station reassignments every two to four years. Supporting these families during holidays helps address these stressors for junior enlisted personnel.
The organization has grown from serving 39 families during its first event to hosting over 700 attendees at its 12th annual celebration. It previously also supported service members by sending 300 stockings to Afghanistan.
The players
Holidays & Heroes
A nonprofit organization that coordinates holiday support and events for active duty, reserve, and guard military families.
Tarrant Area Food Bank
A regional hunger-relief organization that partners with nonprofits to provide prepared meals to military families.
Kerre Ortegel
The founder of the Holidays & Heroes Christmas party initiative.
The details
The events provide holiday programming at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, featuring activities such as Santa arrivals via aircraft, Star Wars character visits, and F-35 simulator access. The group coordinates with the Tarrant Area Food Bank to assemble and distribute Thanksgiving meals to participating junior enlisted households.
Timeline
2010-2011: Organization founder Kerre Ortegel established the Christmas party event.
2023: Aaron Godsey attended his first organization Christmas party.
2026: The organization hosts its 12th annual Christmas event.
Market Landscape
The event follows the pattern established by the 2010 Christmas party, which set the initial framework for local military support programs. It represents a significant scale expansion in community-based charitable services for North Texas military families.
Local business operators should recognize the recurring role of public-private partnerships in maintaining morale for transient military workforces. Management should note how consistent, scale-appropriate charitable outreach can address specific retention-related stressors for junior enlisted families.
The takeaway
The success of this 12-year program highlights the demand for consistent community support networks for families facing high-frequency relocation. Operators looking to align corporate social responsibility efforts should monitor the specific service-delivery models used by established base-adjacent nonprofits.
Further reading
Learn more about the Philanthropy sector within the region.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Fort Worth Report.
Live Poll
Should military families rely on nonprofit charity rather than government resources for holiday support?
