Program Director

Blue Star Families, the largest US nonprofit supporting military and veteran families, has appointed retired Air Force Lieutenant General Charles Plummer as its first-ever president. Plummer will report to CEO Kathy Roth-Douquet and lead enterprise strategy, organisational culture, and growth initiatives. The newly created role aims to help the organisation nearly double its reach and impact. Plummer previously served as The Judge Advocate General, where he led modernisation efforts for the Air Force and Space Force and oversaw military justice reforms. Founded in 2009, Blue Star Families has delivered more than $336 million in benefits and impacts over 1.5 million people annually through its network of chapters and outposts.

The 2026 military family lifestyle survey is now live! Blue Star Families names Charles Plummer as its first President. Retired Air Force Lieutenant General to lead enterprise strategy and growth in newly created role. Washington, D.C. - August 3, 2026 Blue Star Families (BSF), the nation's largest nonprofit dedicated to providing support to military and veteran families, announced the selection of Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Charles Plummer, U.S. Air Force, as its first President in the organization's history, reporting directly to the long-time CEO, Kathy Roth-Douquet. This inaugural role is responsible for translating Blue Star Families' mission, vision, and strategic priorities into measurable impact, and scalable infrastructure. Working with the CEO, the President will lead enterprise-wide alignment, performance, organizational culture, and sustainable growth. "Chuck Plummer is the right person at the right time in this new position for Blue Star Families, as we execute on our promise to almost double our reach and impact in the face of extraordinary demand from military families," said Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO of Blue Star Families. "Chuck's record of military leadership at the highest levels, and his breadth of experience leading complex organizations and positioning them for impact and strategic growth gives me great confidence. Under his leadership, we will build our capacity to make military life great for families, and better connect Americans at every level to their military. That commitment strengthens military families and our nation as a whole." Prior to joining Blue Star Families, Plummer served as The Judge Advocate General, the senior uniformed legal officer for the Air Force and Space Force, where he led enterprise modernization and innovation, shaped the legal framework for the newly created Space Force, and oversaw major reforms across military justice and the full spectrum of Air and Space Force legal operations. Plummer also brings deep familiarity with military life and the issues impacting military families, both from his nearly three decades in uniform and as a military spouse during that time. "I'm honored to join Blue Star Families at such an important moment for our military and veteran community, and I'm deeply grateful to CEO Kathy Roth-Douquet, the Board of Directors and Advisory Board, our Blue Star Partners, and the entire staff for their trust and support. Blue Star Families has built a powerful model grounded in research, community engagement, and a commitment to strengthening the lives of military and veteran families. As a career military leader, there is no more meaningful mission to align myself with. I look forward to working alongside this exceptional team to expand our impact and ensure every service member and military family feels seen, supported, and connected as the organization enters its next chapter," said Plummer. About Blue Star Families Blue Star Families (BSF) is the nation's largest military and veteran family support organization. Its research-driven approach builds strong communities with a focus on human-centered design and innovative solutions. A "blue star family" is the family of a currently serving military member, including active duty, National Guard, reserve forces, and those transitioning out of service. Since its founding in 2009, BSF has delivered more than $336 million in benefits and impacts more than 1.5 million people annually through an expansive network of chapters and outposts.

For those who serve: instacart's growing commitment to military and veteran families. Casey Aden-Wansbury Last Updated: Jul 30, 2026 As Americans continue to celebrate its nation's 250th anniversary, it's a natural moment to reflect on those who have made tremendous contributions to this country's safety and freedom, often at significant personal cost. For too many of those families, the challenges don't end when the deployment does. The Military Family Advisory Network (MFAN), a national nonprofit behind one of the most comprehensive datasets on military family well-being, found in its latest 2025 Military Family 360 Survey that 41.2% of military family respondents reported experiencing low or very low food security, more than double the rate reported just two years ago. One of the challenges? Frequent relocations, often on short notice, can cost families thousands of dollars out of pocket. Something as basic as keeping the fridge stocked becomes one more thing to figure out during an already hard transition. At Instacart, Instacart, Inc. believe Instacart, Inc. has a role to play in changing that. 17 Installations and Counting That's why I'm proud to share the next chapter of its partnership with MFAN to support military families when and where they need it most - when they have just arrived at their new homes. Together, Instacart, Inc. is expanding its Fresh Funds program, powered by Instacart Health, to installations throughout Hampton Roads, Virginia, and Tampa, Florida, with installations in San Diego and Seattle/Tacoma slated to launch in the coming months. Combined with existing programs at Fort Hood, Fort Bliss, Camp Lejeune, MCAS Cherry Point, and MCAS New River, that brings Instacart, Inc. to 17 installations across six states and counting. When MFAN delivers its PCS Pantry Restock Box to newly arriving families, stocked with pantry staples, cleaning supplies, and paper goods, those who need additional food support will also receive a one-time $125 Fresh Funds code for up to three months to order groceries and essentials through Instacart. "Meeting military families where they are - especially during the disruption of a relocation - requires partners like Instacart who share our commitment to making food easier to access." said Shannon Razsadin, CEO of MFAN. "Together, we're expanding the Fresh Funds program to more communities and making it easier for families to put food on the table during big transitions. Our research shows food insecurity remains a serious challenge for too many military families, and partnerships like this are an important part of the solution." Beyond the Base This expansion is just one piece of its larger commitment to supporting food access for military families. Last fall, I joined Blue Star Families in San Diego for their annual "Fill the Fridge" event. San Diego is home to one of the largest concentrations of active-duty military families in the country - and one of the most expensive places to live. Instacart, Inc. packed more than 150 food gift bags with Instacart gift cards for recently arrived families so they could go home that night knowing dinner was covered. More recently, Instacart, Inc. partnered with Blue Star Families and USA TODAY on "The Shared Table" - a series that ran from Memorial Day through July 4th as part of America 250. Five military families shared recipes that mean something to them, paired with their stories about food, connection, and what it's like to start over somewhere new every few years. The series ran with video hosted by Capri Cafaro and shoppable Instacart ingredient links. Then, there are its veteran-focused food as medicine efforts. Last year, Instacart joined the Rockefeller Foundation and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on a Food is Medicine pilot in Syracuse, New York. The program delivers medically tailored groceries - up to $100 per month - to veterans through VA healthcare facilities. It's part of a broader initiative across five states, designed to generate the evidence base that can shift VA food-as-medicine programming from pilot to standard of care. What's Next Those who serve give so much. Food access is a small part of what Instacart, Inc. can give back - but it's real, and it compounds. More bases through MFAN. A broader Blue Star footprint. Helping the VA move food-as-medicine from research into policy. Instacart, Inc. is in this for the long term. To learn more about MFAN's Fresh Funds program or support their work, visit mfan.org. Military families eligible for the program can redeem Fresh Funds at instacart.com/freshfunds/mfan. Casey Aden-Wansbury Casey Aden-Wansbury is Instacart's Vice President, Head of Global Public Policy, where she leads government relations, public engagement, policy development, research, and social impact for the leading grocery technology company in North America. Named one of the nation's top lobbyists (National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics), Casey also serves on the boards of the Alliance to End Hunger and Flex. Before Instacart, Casey directed federal affairs at Airbnb, and she previously served for over a decade in the United States Senate, as a chief of staff and communications director.