Red Cross offers military photo vouchers

Children of Armed Forces personnel in Snohomish County who have a daddy or mommy deployed on military assignment far away from home can have him or her a little bit closer during this holiday season thanks to the American Red Cross and a program called “Flat Daddies and Mommies”.

Flat daddies and mommies are life-size, waist and up, photos that can be used as stand-alone or mounted images.

Bev Walker , director of the Snohomish County Chapter’s Service to the Armed Forces Office, applied for and received a grant for the photo vouchers valued at $49.95 each.  A limited number are available on a first come, first served basis by contacting Walker at 425-304-4476 during office hours, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday, or e-mail WalkerB@snohomishcounty.redcross.org .  The grant designates voucher recipients to be residents of Snohomish County or for the service member to be assigned to a ship or unit located in the county.

Military families who request a voucher for a free flat daddy or mommy from the Snohomish County Chapter, are provided instructions on how and where to send it and a photo.  The photo is processed into a waist and up, life-size image, 26 inches by 36 inches, and returned directly to the family.  The enlargement will have an adhesive backing so it can be displayed “as is” or applied to cardboard, foam core, wood, or any surface desired.

Submitted photos can be a full-body view, but waist and up is preferable.  If more than one person is in the photo, others will be cropped out.  In-uniform preferred. 

“Experts believe the cutouts are a useful psychological device, especially for children, to help cope with the stress of long absences,” said Walker .  “It helps the family stay connected and is a constant reminder that even though mom or dad might be thousands of miles away, they are still a part of their lives.”