Exceptional Families of the Military aims to launch the EFM Lending Closet Pilot in the National Capitol Region. This is a community-centric initiative to provide military families enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) with easy access to medical equipment and supplies they need but do not have access to. We envision these families to be families in the middle of a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move, those waiting for TRICARE authorization, or those needing equipment for a short length of time. Leveraging a combination of donations and grants, the EFM Lending Closet will provide families with necessary items, free of charge, to improve their quality of life and ease daily challenges.
EFM Lending Closet Mission Statement
*To foster a supportive network where military families enrolled in EFMP can easily access medical equipment and supplies, at times, they need it most to help decrease family stress and improve quality of life.
Objectives
*To set up a fully operational lending closet by September 2024.
*To foster partnerships with organizations for DME equipment donations, medical supply donations, and building space (to store/distribute the equipment and medical supplies)
*Create a mechanism for collecting and reallocating donations from military and civilian families and equipment providers that are no longer needed or have been outgrown to military families enrolled in EFMP.
Organization and Management
*The EFM Lending Closet will operate under the supervision of the EFM CEO and ED. Once the program is well-established and functioning seamlessly, a lending closet manager will be designated. Initially, the closet will be managed by a team of dedicated volunteers, with the long-term objective of providing employment opportunities to military spouses who are underemployed or unemployed because of the unique needs of their EFMP family members. We anticipate initially hiring one employee as a contractor who works 15 hours a month.
Target Audience
*Military families enrolled in EFMP with disabilities and/or special healthcare needs enrolled in the National Capitol Region.
The following military installations/communities are located within 100 miles of the National Capitol Region:
**Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
**Fort Belvoir, Virginia
**Fort Walker, Virginia
**Fort Meade, Maryland
**Joint Base Andrews, Maryland
**Fort Detrick, MD
**Quantico
**Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling
**The Pentagon
**The Navy Yard
**Marine Barracks Washington
**Defense Health Agency Headquarters
**Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
**US Coast Guard Headquarters
**Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Virginia
Competitive Analysis
*While there are other organizations that offer support to military families, the EFM Lending Closet sets a precedent as the inaugural initiative to provide essential Durable Medical Equipment (DME) and medical supplies at no cost specifically to military families during their times of greatest need.
