Gratitude

I recently had the opportunity to return to the Naval Academy and see Sugar Bear's classmate make history as the first Marine Corps officer to become Superintendent. It was a special day, time with friends, and I definitely felt Sugar Bear's presence. Annapolis will always be a special place for me and provides me with reminders of what was important to Sugar Bear. I am blessed to have the opportunity to continue his legacy of service and give back to our families. 

In September another of Sugar Bear's classmates hosted a fundraising event for us in San Diego. This was also a great reunion and chance to share our work. Thank you to the BellyUp, BETAMAXX, and friends who attended this event, as well as the local companies that supported us. 

Thank you to the Marine Corps Aviation Association for their recent grant. I love attending the Symposium each year, and their support not only helps us sustain our programming but also enables us to launch new initiatives to help meet the evolving needs of our families. We could not do this without MCAA. 

We are very excited to share our three RF-LAMBDA Memorial Scholarship recipients. RF-LAMBDA is changing lives with this scholarship, and their yearly grant provides educational funding that enables us to provide our tutoring, college consulting, workshops, and other special programs. We are most grateful for all they do and the opportunities they give our families.

We have several upcoming events and new opportunities to share with our families that we encourage you to check out and attend.

First, our yearly Virtual College Planning Q&A event will be held on October 5th. If you have a middle school student (yes, middle school), then you should attend as Juliet Hawk will discuss the planning process for applying to college, review timelines, and give advice. This year, we will focus the session more on Q&A time. Juliet will answer your questions that you submit to Admin@TheSugarBearFoundation.org in advance of the session, even if you can’t attend. Please RSVP and submit your questions by Friday, October 3rd. Additionally, families will receive Juliet’s planning guide.

Next up is a special Virtual Financial Q&A session with Erica Brophy on October 20th. Erica, a Gold Star Spouse and creator of Gold Star Family Resources, is a Certified Financial Coach, holds an MBA, and has extensive financial experience. Erica is an expert in practical and simplified resources that she loves sharing with our families. You won’t want to miss this session. Please RSVP and submit your questions by Friday, October 17th, to Admin@TheSugarBearFoundation.org.

For our San Diego families, we have already begun planning the RF-LAMBDA Holiday Open House, which will be held Saturday, December 6th. This is always a fun event, and our RF-LAMBDA family goes above and beyond to provide a special time. Reach out and let us know if you can attend! 

Our families now have access to IXL Science in addition to Math and ELA subscriptions. They also have a special opportunity to receive a free, yearly subscription to Highlights magazine or the monthly I Can Read Book Club. We believe these opportunities, along with our other programs, provide much-needed educational support that is truly impactful. Please contact us to learn more. 

Thank you to all of our friends, our Team, our Board, and the incredible organizations and companies whose generosity enables us to continue Sugar Bear’s legacy of service.

Jennifer Carazo 
Gold Star Wife/President 

July is Bittersweet

July is a bittersweet month for me. Thirty-six years ago, Sugar Bear and I met at a dive bar on Pensacola Beach. He was a Midshipman at the Naval Academy, and I was home from college. It was a fun night and one I will never forget. Fifteen years ago this month, we lost him! Both events drastically changed my life. The first was obviously for the better… we got married, had our beautiful children, made incredible friends (including our Board and Team, whom I consider family and am so grateful), and had many adventures. I would not change any of it! But losing him, although awful, also had a profound impact on me and our children. The friends we made through the Marine Corps and military are still by our side, and many new ones have joined this circle. I am much stronger today and now have greater insight into his desire to serve. I get it! I know without a doubt he continues to watch over and take care of us. I have so many signs and see so much of Sugar Bear in our children. Their mannerisms, drive, humor (his sarcasm lives on), intelligence, interests, and they share his love of learning as they are both pursuing advanced degrees. I consider it another blessing that he had this time with them to instill such traits. Sugar Bear would be incredibly proud of them. As a widow who was terrified about rearing a nine and almost seven-year-old after that horrifying knock at the door, I now feel an incredible sense of relief as I can safely say we have made it to the other side. His love and strength (along with a great deal of support from many) have carried us through and provided for us when life seemed very bleak.

It is still hard, and we miss him dearly (and always will), but nine years ago I received a gift to form the Sugar Bear Foundation, and that too changed the trajectory of not only my life, but my hope is that of the families we serve. At the time, I was so focused on helping my fellow Surviving Spouses and their children, just as the kids and I had received an outpouring of support. Although this is, and always will be, one of the primary goals, I had no idea in those early years of the SBF that it was helping me heal, providing a platform to continue Sugar Bear’s legacy of service, and creating programs that can and have helped others move forward in life. For me, that brings such joy and hope. It has even strengthened the bond that Sugar Bear and I have, and my ties within the military community. Our children have seen and felt it, and it has helped in their healing. They, too, are more resilient and have a greater sense of gratitude. All of which would make Sugar Bear happy. 

We have several updates to share, and I hope you will take the time to read those, as well as two important fundraisers (Sugar Bear’s Virtual Memorial Run and the Raising Cane’s Fundraiser in Chapel Hill, NC). If possible, I ask that you take part, even share them with your friends, professional networks, and community, or donate. As a nonprofit, we are always asking for support. It’s what we do and need. However, this month is extra special for us, and I hope my ask will help you remember Sugar Bear, me (our family’s story), or the hundreds of families across the country we are now assisting and their heroes. Their lives have forever changed, and we are on a mission to extend to them all of the love and support that my two children and I received sixteen years ago. I would be most grateful, and I know without a doubt Sugar Bear would be too. 

As always, I hope you will reach out if you want to help support, share our mission, or fundraise for us. 

Thank you,

Jennifer Carazo 
Gold Star Wife/ President 

Memorial Day 2025

I would be remiss if I did not send a note to our families to let them know we are all thinking of them, their heroes, and sending extra love this weekend. I know all too well what that knock at the door (or whatever the personal scenario) was when you lost your loved one, and the impact that moment has had on your life. Our Team gets it. 

To our friends who support our work, we are inviting you, especially this weekend, to review our Honor Wall, so you can learn about these heroes and the amazing spouses and children they leave behind who miss and love them. We also hope you will check out our upcoming fundraisers, including Sugar Bear’s Virtual Memorial Run, as these events help support and sustain our mission, such as our upcoming events and programs. 

I thank you for your continued support and the opportunity to give back in Sugar Bear’s name. It is an honor and blessing for me to do so, but I also know that these programs and support are making an impact. 

Thank you,

Jennifer Carazo
Gold Star Wife/President 

May is Always a Special Time!

May is especially a time of remembrance for me, not only with Memorial Day, but also what would be Sugar Bear’s birthday on May 25th. I always feel a surge of emotions this time of year. There are feelings, of course, of respect and somberness, as well as happiness as I think back to all of the memories of Sugar Bear during his birthday and our lives together. I also think of all the friends we have lost over the years. It is a harsh reality. However, if there is one thing Sugar Bear taught me (and there is more than one), it was always to focus on the positive and count my blessings. So that is what I continue to do with our daily work and programs for my fellow survivors. 

Additionally, this month is the Sugar Bear Foundation's anniversary. Nine years ago, I had the opportunity to form the foundation in Sugar Bear’s honor, which has been a blessing and led my life in a beautiful direction. As such, from May to July, we are asking for help in sharing our mission, Sugar Bear’s story, and raising funds! Any support is helpful, whether it is through a donation, a contribution from a company, a fundraiser, or sharing the Sugar Bear Foundation with your place of employment, church, or community; it all helps, and I am personally grateful. I know that celebrating Sugar Bear’s life in an impactful way is being positive and a blessing to the hundreds of families that are Registered with us across the United States. 

For our spouses and families, you are always on my mind, and what our Team directs their time and energy towards. We are here and working for you. So, if you have not already, we ask that you complete our latest survey, check out the Virtual Library, which we are always adding to, or simply reach out to us and let us know what you need. We have another Virtual Session this week with our friends from the Bank of America Better Money Habits Team. Spouses and providers are welcome to attend and should reach out to us to take part. Make sure to check out all of our updates, and do not hesitate to contact us.  

As always, thank you for the opportunity to give back in Sugar Bear’s name. To our supporters and sponsors, we could not do any of this without you. I am personally grateful.

Jennifer Carazo
Gold Star Wife/President