‘Out of honor and gratitude’: Tampa Bay charity helps support Gold Star families

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – As we all begin to get excited about the holiday season, there are so many who have a difficult time finding joy this time of year. That includes Gold Star families who are missing loved ones.

Whether it’s helping to make a mortgage payment or buying school uniforms, “Believe With Me” is a program aimed at helping Gold Star families through some of their most difficult times.

“These are families that stepped up to serve our nation. They are not asking for charity. We do this out of honor and gratitude to them,” says founder, Lyette Reback.

Reback started the non-profit when she learned the need to help Gold Star families were especially high around the holidays. The charity provides 1,000 Christmas gifts to children of fallen soldiers throughout the country each year.

There’s big news this year! The West Palm-based program is heading to Tampa.

On Friday, IronEagleX is hosting a gala that will host some of the families and raise money for the cause. Even more than that, students will learn an invaluable lesson. Thirty-five student ambassadors will be at the gala, each assigned a Gold Star family to treat as a special VIP of the night.

“Not only are we serving our Gold Star family members at Christmas time and letting them know we love them and care about them, but the probably equally as important aspect of making sure that our students understand, that you get to play football on that field because someone else was on a battlefield,” Reback said.

More than Christmas gifts, “Believe With Me” helps year-round with other needs.

To learn more, visit the non-profits website.