DoD is also expanding its partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America to provide more youth programs. Family Centers There are more than 290 family centers around the world designed to help families with the unique challenges of military life. One core program each center offers is Family Life Education. This covers relationships, parenting and other issues. The centers offer programs to enhance self-esteem, strengthen interpersonal competency and couples communication.
Centers also provide deployment, relocation, employment, financial management and crisis assistance.
They provide information and referral services for child and elder care, social services and other community resources. Family centers coordinate volunteer programs and sponsor family life education programs. They provide family support during deployments. The Washington-based Military Family Resource Center publishes the quarterly Military Family Newsletter, sent to about 13,000 policy makers, program managers, researchers and service providers worldwide. The center also offers the Military Family Clearinghouse, a collection of research information on military families.