Blue Star Families and T-Mobile give military family a home makeover

Army Spouse Maria Reed has been renovating and making over homes for military families since 2017. When she got wind of a deserving family needing an office at Fort Liberty, Blue Star Families and T-Mobile were all in.

“I’ve been a military spouse for over 20 years and know how difficult it is to build a home when you move so often,” Reed explained. “The concept of the show is to bring communities together to serve those who serve.”

Her show, Moving With The Military, has documented it all over the years.

Alyssa Rever is an Army spouse and mother of three who was determined to transform their house outside of Fort Liberty into a true home. While they've been making the most of what they have, Rever desperately wished for a home office that could accommodate her remote job and serve as a space where her family can gather to do homework, play games and stay connected with distant family and friends.

“T-Mobile is proud to be a company that supports the men, women and families who serve our country every day,” Terrance Glover, T-Mobile's Vice President of Retail said. ”That’s why we were excited to team up with Blue Star Families and Moving With The Military to surprise this special military family with a home office makeover. We recognize the importance of feeling like you’re a part of a community and this makeover was just one way to help ease this family’s transition into their new home and community.”

Once Reed and her team of volunteers from BSF and T-Mobile showed up, Rever’s dreams came true. Each day more than 20 volunteers assisted in remaking the office space for the family. Some volunteers took the time to chalk the family’s entire driveway in encouraging messages. When the family came home, it was to cheers and American flags waving through the air.

"It was an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience that my family and I will cherish for the rest of our lives. We are truly grateful for everyone who had a part in making this dream come to a reality for us,” Rever shared. “I love going to work and just going in to sit in my office. That’s how perfect this space is for us. Our kids run upstairs to the office to finish homework and start coloring now they have a space to do so. It feels like home."

BSF was founded in 2009 by military spouses to empower families to thrive as they serve. They reach over 1.5 million military families each year with their programming. The organization’s groundbreaking research has fueled policy changes and undeniable impact for the military community. 

“I married a Marine more than 25 years ago and found myself raising my children in this military lifestyle without any knowledge of what I was getting myself into,” Penny Boden, Senior Director of Cause Marketing and Brand Partnerships of BSF, said. “It's a challenging lifestyle and military families mostly try to navigate it all on their own but when people and brands step up to say, ‘We see you, we know it's hard, and we are doing something to help you,’ it goes a long way.”

T-Mobile believes in serving those who serve, too. After revealing the home to the Rever family, the company presented BSF with a check for $100,000 to support many more military family makeovers. Following the makeover, spouses attached to Fort Liberty were invited for a coffee get-together down the road at Starbucks. Over 30 military spouses were treated to gift cards from T-Mobile and coffee on BSF.

“My husband, kids and I served as a Marine Corps family for more than 25 years and it was challenging. Long deployments, constant moves and inflexible working hours. The kids and I made a lot of sacrifices but we didn't often feel like that was recognized,” Bolden said. “When people and organizations go above and beyond to show that kind of gratitude to the entire family not just the servicemember, it means so much.”