24-7 Commitment gives back to community through online resources
The organization 24-7 COMMITMENT, which provides firefighters and their families’ strength, support and encouragement, has recently acquired status as a federally recognized non-profit.
In July 2012, Lori Mercer, the wife of a firefighter, shared a blog post discussing the challenges of marriage and her new life as a part of the fire service. Responses poured in thanking Lori for sharing her story. Many family members of first responders identified with her. People across the country realized they were not alone in the struggles that come with the fire life.
The organization has since grown to a national network of over 100,000 members and supporters, with new people joining every day. It creates safe, encouraging communities for firefighters and their spouses through marriage weekends, online resources, and private local support communities using social media networks, in person events, and interactive websites. Their mission is to honor, strengthen and support first responder marriages and families by delivering the best resources and creating a supportive, welcoming community of fire families both online and in local groups.
The organization has been made possible by the financial support from individual fire wives and firefighters through memberships and subscriptions. Every donation made contributes directly to supporting happy marriages and families and in turn, stronger and more focused first responders. The funding allows the organization to train marriage mentors and group facilitators, and to develop and deliver programs specific to marriage and family topics for first responders, including the Fire Wife Academy and their popular Commitment Weekends, which are marriage retreats for fire families. Acquiring federal status as a non-profit will allow the organization to increase funding efforts.
“We are surrounded by couples and friends, who although spread across the country, completely understand the unique challenges we face and are committed to their marriages,” said Board Member Cori Fuller, who became a member of the original Firefighter Wife Sisterhood almost three years ago. “I am so excited to see this organization changing lives and marriages. Becoming a non-profit is opening so many doors of opportunity for this organization to be the change we want to see in the fire service.”
The hours and days spent responding to emergencies are hours and days spent away from families and loved ones. And when the first responder’s home life is unstable, it makes it more challenging for them to do their jobs. Support towards firefighters and their families can be contributed through a donation or subscription. More information on 24-7 COMMITMENT can be found at www.247commitment.org.
About 24-7 COMMITMENT 24-7 Commitment is a nonprofit organization focused on strengthening marriages and families of first responders. The organization has developed a support network and brought together trained facilitators and mentors to bring immediate support to first responders and their spouses. The organization is comprised of programs such as the Fire Wife Sisterhood, FireFamily.Life, 24-7 Commitment, Honor Guard for Men and Marriage on Fire, and offers marriage resources for first responders and their significant others.
