Employees and Volunteers help bring Holiday Magic to Guard families

With the cost of necessities on the rise due to ongoing inflation, this year’s Holiday Magic event became even more important to National Guard families.

“We have seen a significant decrease in our fundraising and in the amount of donations that we normally do, but we have done a great job of still putting together the resources and our partners that did help have been so generous,” said Deb Discolo, lead military and family readiness specialist with the Joint Service Support (JSS).

This year, the JSS is helping to alleviate the pressures of the holidays for 500 families with gifts, stocking stuffers and holiday meals. The full-time staff members of the JSS, along with volunteers from across the Washington National Guard, are on hand Dec. 14 and 15 to help those families attending with securing items and food and making the holidays a little more magical.

“We talk about soldier care, but there is no great way to show our soldiers that we care than to volunteer at events like this and give back to the organization,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Josh Orr, a human resources technician. “Just helping them out when they need it the most is so important.”

Orr is a regular volunteer with JSS, taking his own time whether after work or taking leave in order to ensure events like Holiday Magic are a success.

“We set up all the tables, unloaded all the boxes, sorted the items and are here to help the families that need it,” said Orr. “Events like this mean the world to our soldiers and airmen.”