SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio is Military City, U.S.A., and military families play a big role in the community.
In honor of Military Spouse Appreciation Day on Friday, the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce is hosting a resource fair to help out local families.
The chamber is welcoming military families from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m at the Endeavors Veterans Wellness Center, located at 6333 De Zavala Road.
”This is a way that we can connect to our military spouses with the resources of the education, the career opportunities. Moving frequently, means that we don’t establish roots anywhere and many times we’re moving and we’re not close to family,” said Lori Stinson, a former military spouse who has moved with her family a lot over the years.
She said she’s lived in San Antonio for nearly seven years – the longest she’s ever lived anywhere — and loves it.
”San Antonio really welcomed us, it was friendly, it definitely had a lot of resources for us, welcomed my children with open arms and they got into athletics and everything else so it was a very welcoming experience for sure,” Stinson said.
There are about 40,000 military families here in San Antonio and they’re looking to make the city their home, meaning that can have huge economic implications.
”They are a large economic driver to San Antonio and have a huge economic impact on our city and all over,” Julie Ring, with the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce said.
Ring said these families are the backbone of our city and our culture.
“We’re here and we’re hosting this resource fair for military spouses to connect our business community with every resource that military spouses need,” Ring said.
As for Stinson, her advice to families in San Antonio is to get involved.
”75% of our military families are living off installation, so it is vital for them to get involved in the community,” Stinson said.
If you have any questions about the fair, you can find the answers here.