Beyond the Yellow Ribbon reflects on 2024, looks toward 2025
As of 2024, the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon program, also known as BTYR, has grown to include 87 companies and organizations and 53 community networks. Their combined efforts make an impact on the lives of Minnesota’s veterans, service members, and military families in the places where they live, work, and serve.
BTYR had another busy year filled with events, support opportunities, and achievements.
“I really enjoy what we get to do,” said Stefanie Hurt, BTYR community outreach coordinator. “It truly is a blessing to be able to support Minnesota’s military community.”
According to the BTYR team, one of its most memorable moments of the year was providing holiday food for military community members in need through the annual efforts known as Operations Turkey Drop and Merry Meals. In November, with the help of BTYR partners and volunteers and in time for Thanksgiving, Operation Turkey Drop moved an estimated 1,000 items, weighing approximately 10 tons. Five hundred meals kits (300 from Meals from the Heart and 200 from the United Christian Academy) filled with groceries were packed at Meals from the Heart. The Minnesota Department of Transportation moved the meal kits to Thomson Reuters, where, the kits, along with turkeys (200 donated by the Minnesota Wild and approximately 300 donated by Thomson Reuters), were loaded onto vehicles and delivered by BTYR volunteers to armories and air wings across the state. There, family readiness teams distributed the food to those who registered to receive them.
“Moving 10 tons of food with volunteer support to armories and air wings was amazing!” said Hurt, who served as project lead for Operations Turkey Drop and Merry Meals.
In a similar manner, in December, and in time for the winter holiday season, Operation Merry Meals gathered, packed, transported, and distributed an estimated 300 meal kits filled with groceries, along with approximately 600 packs of assorted meats donated by Hunter’s Harvest, to help those in need in the military community.
Taylor Kristoffe-Jones, BTYR corporate outreach coordinator, said it has been great to see both efforts grow and help those in the military community.
“It’s so heartwarming to know that we were a small part in making our service members and their families’ lives a little bit brighter this holiday season,” Kristoffe-Jones said.
BTYR had even more highlights in 2024.
Community network
In 2024, community networks coordinated 313 events, served 11,050 volunteer hours, sent 2,544 packages to deployed service members, and provided $380,361 in assistance to veterans, service members, and their families.
The Watonwan County BTYR helped a veteran who was moving for a job. The Isanti County BTYR network participated in an elementary school event to honor Veterans. Farmington, Rosemount, Burnsville, Big Lake, and Lower St. Croix Valley BTYR networks honored high school students joining the military and awarded scholarships to children of veterans. The Hibbing-Chisholm Area BTYR cleaned veterans’ headstones at a local cemetery. The Owatonna BTYR hosted 50 women veterans and service members at a retreat. During the holidays, more than 600 bags of groceries, along with a variety of meats, were packed and delivered for families in need at armories and bases statewide.
In the fall, Taunja Moe Forbes joined the BTYR team as a community outreach coordinator. Forbes said being part of BTYR allows her to give back to veterans, service members, and their families.
“I’m proud and grateful to have a chance to be part of such a worthy cause,” Forbes said.
Forbes looks forward to continued engagement, outreach, and relationship building.
“As I immerse myself deeper into the program, I would like to increase and deepen connections with both community networks and company partners,” she said. “I would also like to help my team and the BTYR program work as efficiently and effectively as possible.”
Corporate network
In 2024, the corporate network supported 92 events, served 3,378 volunteer hours, sent 743 packages, and provided $305,637 to assist those in the miliary community.
Donaldson Company, Inc. donated $6,250 to the Bloomington Veterans Memorial and Thomson Reuters donated more than 300 turkeys to military families for the holidays. The Minnesota Building & Construction Trades’ Ribfest raised an estimated $27,000 to fund its military community support efforts. U.S. Bank donated a vehicle to two Gold Star daughters. Tokyo Electron donated to a clothing drive and Fairview Health Services donated 200 books for the 133rd Airlift Wing’s Family Day. Minnesota State Colleges and Universities participated in Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program events and 3M participated in the Team Red, White, & Blue Walk/Run.
In addition, the Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Vikings, and Minnesota Wild hosted military appreciation events. Through the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Orange Overwatch, department trucks and snowplows escorted buses of 500 deploying soldiers to the airport. Medtronic hosted 300 service members at the Women’s Leadership Forum while Boston Scientific hosted BTYR’s first community and corporate conference.
The network also welcomed eight companies and organizations. They included Children’s Minnesota, the City of Minneapolis government, Medica, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Replenex, Slalom, Travelers, and U.S. Steel.
Into the new year
In 2025, Hurt and Forbes plan to increase volunteer support and collaboration within the community network. They also look forward to hosting the BTYR Spring Workshop at Camp Ripley for community and corporate networks.
Starting in January for the corporate network, Kristoffe-Jones plans to launch the bi-monthly Lunch and Learn series, in which subject matter experts will discuss topics, such as how employers can support deploying service member employees and their families.
BTYR’s mission is to establish and sustain a comprehensive community and corporate support network that connects and coordinates agencies, organizations, and resources to meet the needs of Minnesota’s veterans, service members, and families in all military branches. Visit the BTYR website and follow on Facebook and X.
Operation Merry Meals: Annual effort brings holidays to military community
Minnesota National Guard staff and Beyond the Yellow Ribbon partners and volunteers teamed up this month for Operation Merry Meals to provide holiday meals for Minnesota veterans, service members, and military families in need.
“The holiday season often underscores the love for family, duty, and gratitude that defines military life,” said Army Col. Eduardo Suarez, director of the Minnesota National Guard’s Culture, Resiliency, and Community Engagement. “Whether our service members are home or abroad, they can face many challenges that are often compounded during the holiday season. Operation Merry Meals is one way we, as Minnesotans, come together to support those in need. The simple act of providing a meal goes a long way in showing how we value the service and sacrifice of those that have served or are serving, and their families.”
This year, the annual effort involved gathering and packing an estimated 300 meal kits filled with groceries at Meals from the Heart. On Dec. 17, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, a recognized Beyond the Yellow Ribbon organization, transported approximately 600 packs of meat donated by Hunter’s Harvest from Big Steer Meats to Meals from the Heart. There, on Dec. 19, the meal kits and meat were loaded into vehicles and delivered by Beyond the Yellow Ribbon volunteers to armories and air wings across the state where military family readiness teams distributed the food to those who registered to receive them. See more photos on Facebook.
Mall of America hosts Holiday for Heroes
Radio show highlights Beyond the Yellow Ribbon corporate network
Taylor Kristoffe-Jones, Beyond the Yellow Ribbon corporate outreach coordinator, was a guest on the Minnesota Military Radio show Jan. 9 and talked about the corporate side of the BTYR program. Tune in and subscribe to the show. Tom Neumann and Steve Bruce of the Rosemount Beyond the Yellow Ribbon community network will be guests on the show in February.
Commentary: Bring your authentic self
By Air Force Chaplain (Maj.) Keith Beckwith
Minnesota National Guard Operations Chaplain
I love the holidays. It’s a time for family and friends to get together, eat way too much food, play games, share stories, and connect with friends that we may not see except once a year. However, for many, this is not always the case. For some, there is a loss they are grieving, and the holidays bring memories that are not filled with joy, frivolity, and happiness.
One way to navigate the holidays is to not participate at all. I do not recommend this option as it brings with it additional complications and potential increase in familial disconnect. Instead, I encourage us to show up to events and holidays and bring our authentic self. This may take time, but this is a spiritual practice that benefits you and others.
Every one of us has a unique personality style and what we bring to our collective gatherings brings distinctive gifts, talents, and abilities. I, for one, am glad not everyone is an extrovert or introvert at gatherings. I enjoy the unique and diverse spiritual and philosophical perspectives of others. The holidays allow for a myriad of beliefs, personalities, and perspectives to be appreciated. And our families, homes, workplaces, and our military are better because of them. When you allow for curiosity to guide an interaction, you might learn something and integrate that into your life and become better for it.
Happy Holidays!
Remote control car racing, aquarium stay held for military youth, families
Military youth and their families participated in the RC Car Racing, Balloon Car Creation event at the Arden Hills Armory on. Dec. 17. They learned about and raced remote control cars. Families stretched their creativity and engineering skills by using common household supplies and balloons to build a non-electric moving vehicle. The event was hosted by the Minnesota National Guard Child & Youth Program.
The program also hosted an overnight stay at Mall of America's Sealife on Jan. 3. Military youth and their families explored the aquarium. After dinner, they participated in a tour with an aquarium guide who taught them about the sea creatures and the life skills that can be learned from them. They also got a behind-the-scenes look at the lab and deck areas where they learned about the science and work required to care for these creatures.
See more upcoming events for military youth on the Minnesota National Guard Child & Youth Program calendar.
Reach out.
The mission of Beyond the Yellow Ribbon is to establish and sustain a comprehensive community and corporate support network that connects and coordinates agencies, organizations, and resources to meet the needs of Minnesota's veterans, service members, and families in all military branches.
The BTYR Bulletin informs, connects, and supports Minnesota's military community and its many partners across the state.
Subscribe: E-mail beyondtheyellowribbon.com.
E-mail: ng.mn.mnarng.list.j9-beyond-the-yellow-ribbon@army.mil
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Visit: BTYR website
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Resources: Minnesota National Guard Family Programs
Editor: cristina.f.oxtra.nfg@army.mil