Many Canadians are unaware that thousands of Canadian Armed Forces personnel are separated from their families for long periods of time while they serve on more than 20 missions across the globe, provide emergency relief at home or participate in ongoing training cycles. The patriotic military families who support our soldiers endure long and painful separations which intensify during the holiday season - as most families find themselves coming together, these military families find themselves far apart from their loved ones. One of the ways Together We Stand honours and thanks these patriotic families for their unique service, is by distributing care packages to those with a serving member deployed overseas during the December holiday season. Together We Stand also initiated the creation of Canada’s first-ever Military Family Appreciation Day (MFAD) to thank all Canadian Military Families for their courage and dedication to our nation’s security. In 2019, parliament moved to establish MFAD on the third Friday of each September.