Home Away From Home program starts at Cannon Air Force Base

For many young military members, moving to a new place can be a challenging, lonely experience. In attempt to alleviate some of the anxiety of being alone or far from home – often for the first time – the Clovis/Curry County Chamber of Commerce and the Committee of 50 are seeking community participation in their new program “Your New Mexico Home.” In effort to provide a home away from home for airmen in their first years at Cannon Air Force Base, “Your New Mexico Home” will pair single airmen living on base with civilian host families, creating an avenue to form friendships and gather support beyond the formal work environment. 
 
From welcoming the airmen for holiday meals or grabbing coffee around town, to playing sports and doing outdoor activities, host families will be able to plan interactions to best match their lives and interests of the airmen. Overall, host families will serve as mentors, friends and advisers while providing a caring environment for the airmen to escape from the anxieties and stress of day-to-day life. Any single airmen living in the dorms on base are eligible – especially those with Cannon as their first duty assignment. 
 
The interactions between participating airmen and the host families can develop into strong, long-lasting bonds, and within the next couple years the committee expects to have 80-85 host families and around 300-400 participating airmen. James Burns of the Committee of 50 will co-chair Your New Mexico Home with Juli Masaitis, wife of 27th Special Operations Wing Commander Col. Robert Masaitis. The program is modeled after Team Tinker’s very successful Home Away From Home program, which was founded in 2013 and has made positive difference in the lives of hundreds of airmen and Oklahoma City residents. 
 
Anyone with the desire and commitment to make a positive difference in a young airman’s life is encouraged to get more information about Your New Mexico Home. All host families must sign a liability waiver and pass a background check.
 
For more information about participating in Your New Mexico Home, please contact the Clovis/Curry County Chamber of Commerce at (575) 763-3435.