The Home Depot has announced it has reached a $100,000 donation milestone to Blue Star Families, an organization supporting military families. This contribution follows a spring initiative in which nearly 14,000 red, white, and blue planters were sold at over 330 stores near military bases across the United States. A portion of each sale was directed to Blue Star Families.
Haley Weaver, Senior Manager of Military Relations at The Home Depot, stated: “Supporting military families is part of who we are. Through this initiative, we were able to turn a seasonal product into a symbol of gratitude—and directly benefit the communities we’re proud to serve.”
Since 2006, The Home Depot Foundation has invested more than $550 million in causes related to veterans. Blue Star Families was founded by military spouses and aims to connect families with resources such as caregiver support, career development opportunities, local events, and peer networks.
Jessica Foster, Planters Merchant at The Home Depot, said: “The planters, proudly designed and manufactured in Middlefield, Ohio, became more than just a product—they became a statement of appreciation. We were ecstatic to support Blue Star Families with our planter promotion.”
The Home Depot employs many veterans and military family members. The company’s broader efforts include creating career paths for transitioning service members and supporting nonprofit organizations that assist military families.
A representative from Blue Star Families described their role as vice president of brand partnerships: “My job is to identify brands who are willing to step up in an authentic way and then respond to what our military families need.”
Regarding the impact of the donation from The Home Depot on their work, they explained: “We’re a nonprofit, so we simply can’t do this work without the support of organizations like Home Depot. This, this support, this campaign, this partnership really helps. We collect data that identifies the existing challenges from military families, and then we put together the resources and the tools required to address those challenges. That’s how we seek to make an impact.”
Funds raised help active-duty families transition during frequent moves—a process affecting approximately 600,000 military and veteran families each year according to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). These relocations can cause financial insecurity due to disrupted careers for spouses and can also lead to feelings of isolation when adjusting to new communities.
The DoD reports that retention issues among service members often stem from these family challenges—such as financial insecurity or food insecurity—caused by repeated moves.
Blue Star Families noted that most military families live outside bases within civilian communities and increasingly choose to manage their own relocations rather than use official moving services. They highlighted The Home Depot’s practical support: “We talked to your team, and they said, ‘We’ve already developed that resource.’ It’s that authenticity; you guys actually get it [and are] showing the community you want to step up in a way that really makes a difference.”
To encourage broader community involvement with relocating military families and veterans, Blue Star Families promotes its annual Blue Star Welcome Week each September. The initiative encourages Americans nationwide to welcome new arrivals into their neighborhoods through simple gestures.
“Most Americans want to help, but they don’t know what’s needed and they don’t know how to provide the help even if they know what’s needed,” said the Blue Star Families representative. “Let’s start with something really, really simple, and that’s ‘welcome.'”
