April is Month of Military Child: Commissaries join exchanges, other base resale outlets to offer extra savings, giveaways

To help celebrate April as the Month of the Military Child, commissaries are joining exchanges and other on-post resale outlets in offering a variety of giveaways and savings for the entire family.

“Children in military households face unique challenges because of the demands of military life,” said Tracie Russ, DeCA’s sales director. “So at the Defense Commissary Agency, we want to acknowledge them and do all we can to provide their families with great values for their commissary benefit.”

DeCA’s industry partners – vendors, suppliers and brokers – are collaborating with commissaries in April to offer discounts beyond everyday savings. Overseas stores may have substitute events for certain promotional programs. Also, the Savings Center has more information on coupons, promotions, commissary store brands and more.

Customers are asked to check their local commissary for details on dates and times for the following promotions:

• “Fill Your Fridge for Free.” Throughout April, MILITARY STAR card holders who use their card twice in both the commissary and any military exchange will automatically be eligible for the “Fill Your Fridge for Free” sweepstakes. One hundred winners will each receive a $300 commissary gift card.
• 5-2-1-0. For the entire month of April, commissaries worldwide will use Month of the Military Child as an opportunity to promote the importance of healthier lifestyles for children. The “5-2-1-0” message remains the call to action: Eat five fruits and vegetables every day; limit recreational screen time to two hours or less daily; get one hour or more of physical activity every day and avoid all drinks with sugar. Check your commissary for dates and times for tours highlighting the nutritional value of fresh fruits and vegetables along with recipes, food samplings and giveaways. 
• “Thank You for Your Service Sidewalk Sale.” Commissaries worldwide will be conducting this sidewalk sale starting April 16 and continuing through May 31. The sidewalk sales are planned in conjunction with May’s Military Appreciation Month. Every commissary worldwide will have a weekend two- or three-day outdoor (weather permitting) sidewalk sale, offering extra savings including special deals on some case and club pack items. Several commissaries will be partnering with their neighbor, the exchange. Check with your local commissary for local dates and times.
• 2nd Annual Coloring Contest for Kids. During April, commissary patrons will see displays describing how they can enter their coloring entry for a chance to be displayed on a reusable commissary grocery bag. Winning entries also win a box of free bags compliments of the National Institutes for the Blind, as well as free groceries compliments of DeCA’s exchange partners. Coloring template and rules are available on this page and at the commissary.
• Campbell’s and Pepperidge Farm digital coupon deal. Patrons who spend $20 on Campbell’s and Pepperidge Farm products in one shopping trip will receive a $5 digital coupon added to their card to use on their next shopping trip and purchase of Campbell’s and Pepperidge Farm products. No coupon to clip. Patrons will receive this automatically with purchase and the scan of their Commissary Rewards Cards at check out. 
• Nabisco and Coca-Cola are teaming up on a contest to help military children win scholarships. There is one grand prize of $5,000 and five first prizes of $1,000. Check out the Nabisco and Coca-Cola displays in the commissary.
• ProCamps for Kids. Through April 8, participating commissaries will have a chance to win a football ProCamp for their installation. Eleven winning stateside installations will host a free, two-day football camp for military children in kindergarten through eighth grade. At these camps, participants will learn from and play with some of their favorite NFL players like Andre Roberts (Washington Redskins), Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona Cardinals), Steve Smith (Baltimore Ravens) and Rob Gronkowski (New England Patriots) among others. Installation consideration to qualify for a camp is based on commissary sales of select items such as Tide, Bounty, Charmin, Pantene, Crest and Gillette.
• VIP Race Experience. Smithfield is offering a chance to win its VIP Race Experience to stateside commissary patrons who purchase any three or more Smithfield brand products in a single transaction from April 1 to May 7. Prizes include a grand prize trip to a VIP Race Experience and meeting NASCAR driver Aric Almirola. One grand prize winner will receive a three-day/two-night trip for two to the stock car race of their choice in the continental U.S., lodging, spending cash and more. In addition to the grand prize, 15 first prize winners will each receive a $50 commissary gift card. Check local store displays for details on how to enter.
• White Castle/Palermo’s is offering a “Buy 2 Get 1 Free” promotion through April 8 in honor of the NCAA College Basketball Tournament.
• More savings in April. Throughout April, commissary patrons will see several savings programs and mass displays: Celebrate Passover and Lent with Seapak frozen seafood; look for extra savings in the frozen food section with Bellisio Foods and Ajinomoto Windsor Foods; Kraft Heinz will offer a “Basket of Savings” program with participating brands such as Cool Whip, Kraft Singles, Oscar Mayer and more; 24th Annual Starkist Tuna displays promoting savings; Smucker’s 13th Annual “Serving Our Country’s Finest” with in-store displays promoting Folger’s Coffee, JIF peanut butter and Hungry Jack breakfast items; and General Mill’s “Salute to Savings” sales event offering high-value coupons as well as store giveaways.   

“As we honor our military children, don’t miss out on these opportunities to save even more,” Russ said. “For everyone in the family, shopping on base is always worth the trip.”

In upcoming months, patrons can also expect to see other joint events such as customer appreciation sidewalk sales linked to Military Appreciation Month in May; the annual Healthy Lifestyle Festival in June; and Back to School sidewalk sales in August and September.