WARNER ROBINS -- The Houston County 4-H program received a $20,000 grant to support area military children and families.

The funding -- awarded by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Operation: Military Kids and the Department of Defense-U.S. Department of Agriculture Partnership: Child Youth Deployment Support Project at Kansas State University -- is to establish a community support network to address changes in the lives of military youth and families during the deployment of a family member, according to a Thursday news release.

“One of the best ways to support our military is to take care of their children and family while they are away serving,” Darra McClendon, Houston County 4-H Operation Military Kids program assistant, said in the release.

Whether families are experiencing deployment for the first time or are within a series of deployments, Operation: Military Kids’ goal is to connect military youth of all ages with local resources to achieve a sense of community support and enhance their well-being, the release stated. Programs, activities and events will be offered at no cost to families.