Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Salyer.
Hi Angela, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Growing up as a military child, I experienced firsthand both the challenges and the unique strengths that come with military life. I was born in Panama, where my father was stationed at the time, and those early experiences shaped my understanding of the sacrifices military families make every day.
Years later, I connected with Comfort Crew’s co-founder and then-Executive Director, the late Ronda Englander. Ronda and I shared a deep passion for ensuring that this generation of military children receives the support they deserve. Ronda was a Blue Star daughter who lost her father in Vietnam when she was just three years old. Feeling alone in her grief as a child became a driving force behind the resources and programs we created — helping military kids understand, express, and manage their emotions while reminding them they are never alone.
Since joining Comfort Crew in 2012, I have served in many roles within the organization and have had the honor of serving as Executive Director for the past six years. During that time, I’ve had the privilege of speaking with thousands of military children through the With You All the Way! Tour, Yellow Ribbon events, youth symposiums, camps, and other special programs across the country.
My passion for supporting military children continues to be fulfilled through Comfort Crew’s mission of serving our country by strengthening military families.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
While I love getting to work with military kids and families, and I truly enjoy our small, family-like staff, there have been some incredibly difficult moments along the way.
In 2020, just two weeks after COVID shut everything down in Austin, we lost our fearless leader, Ronda Englander, after a 7-month battle with leukemia. More than our leader, Ronda was a dear friend and mentor. It was an incredibly painful time for our team, made even harder because we had to grieve separately as we shifted into remote work, much like the rest of the world. We found comfort in the legacy she left behind, caring for military kids and their families.
At the same time, the need for our resources only grew. Military families across the country were navigating not only the uncertainty of a global pandemic, but also relocations, deployments, caregiving responsibilities, and, in some cases, loss. I’m deeply grateful for the leadership of our board and the dedication of our hardworking staff, who came together during such a challenging time to ensure we could continue serving military families.
Even today, one of the hardest parts of our work is not being able to meet every request we receive. With rising tensions in the Middle East and increasing deployments, we’ve experienced a 100% increase in requests this year compared to the same timeframe last year. We are fortunate to have incredible partners like USAA, Wounded Warrior Project, Veterans United Foundation, DAV, H-E-B, and generous individual donors who help make our mission possible. Still, large bulk requests are exceeding available funding, forcing us to place families on a waitlist. We are constantly working to become more efficient so we can meet military kids with support when they need it most.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Comfort Crew for Military Kids is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting military children and families during some of the most challenging moments of military life. We provide comfort and connection through carefully curated Comfort Kits filled with journals, guidebooks, stuffed animals, access to animated movies and online resources, and other resources designed to help children navigate deployments, relocations, injuries, and loss.
What sets us apart is that everything we do is centered around the emotional well-being of military kids. Military children are often called the “hidden heroes” of service, and our mission is to ensure they feel seen, supported, and cared for during times of uncertainty and transition. Every item we include is intentionally designed to provide comfort and encouragement for kids, and increase communication for the whole family.
We are especially known for our ability to respond quickly and personally to the needs of military families across the country. Whether it’s a child preparing for a parent’s deployment, a family coping with injury or grief, or a caregiver trying to help their children through difficult transitions, our goal is to remind them that they are not alone.
One of the things I’m most proud of brand-wise is the heart behind our organization. Even as we’ve grown, we’ve maintained a deeply personal, family-like culture within our staff, volunteers, donors, and partners. Families and military-connected resource professionals often turn to us when they are going through some of their toughest times and that kind of impact is what drives us every day.
We’re also proud of the strong partnerships we’ve built with organizations and companies that believe in supporting military families, Their support allows us to continue expanding our reach and meeting the growing needs of military children nationwide.
Above all, we want readers to know that Comfort Crew for Military Kids exists to bring hope, comfort, and connection to military families when they need it most. Behind every package is a reminder to a child that their sacrifices matter and that there is an entire community standing beside them.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
One thing that may surprise people is just how personal this mission is for so many of us on our team. While Comfort Crew for Military Kids operates nationally and serves over 20,000 military kids a year, we are a very small, close-knit team that pours an incredible amount of heart into every package and every family interaction. With all of us having our own military-connected experiences to draw from, there is a deeply personal touch behind everything we do.
Another thing people may not realize is how intentionally designed our Comfort Kits are. Our co-founder Trevor Romain, is a best-selling author and illustrator, has a gift for connecting with kids, and creating entertaining content that kids relate to. Many of the components in our Comfort Kits have Trevor’s creative mark on them. In fact, our plush Cuzzie bear was first a drawing in Trevor’s journal, long before we brought him to life to comfort thousands of military kids going through a deployment. Also, if you didn’t know, Cuzzie got his name be ‘Cause He’ Cares.
Pricing:
- Our Comfort Kit resources are free to military families.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.comfortcrew.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecomfortcrew
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheComfortCrew
- Twitter: https://x.com/TheComfortCrew
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheComfortCrew
