Military Support Channel & M.Div. Tuition Fund

If I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting you, my name is Victoria Cantalupo, and I live on the seacoast of New Hampshire. I dream of supporting our military service members of the New England area and would like to tell you how I am doing that and invite you to be a part of what is growing in this community.

 

You may not know this, but a Military Chaplain is the MOST confidential resource to a service member or veteran. I have felt a calling to become a Chaplain for years now, and I have taken steps to start the required education of a 72 credit Masters of Divinity program, which is a lengthy and expensive degree. While there is a national shortage of Chaplains across all military branches, the education benefits were not created to support professionals in gaining this degree easily. I am currently serving in a reserve component of the military and because I used federal education benefits on my bachelors I am unable to use them on my masters until my next military school is available to me. While I am waiting on this school seat, I am starting something I have wanted to do for a while; a military support channel that isn’t governed by the military.

 

One of the services included in this support channel will give all-inclusive wedding officiating packages to military couples, which costs civilian couples $450. Other resources include small groups, resource navigating, referrals, counsel, local community projects, beginer's music lessons, babysitting and pet sitting.

 

I aim to raise five thousand dollars, which would allow me to give away 16 wedding packages over the next two years. This money will also cover 16 months of my tuition to Kairos University, where I will be starting my M.Div and receiving institutional credit for guiding these couples down the aisle and into a flourishing marriage. At the end of these 16 months, I hope to have been afforded the opportunity to go to my next military school to earn more education benefits. Any funds left will still go to funding military couple’s wedding packages and will also benefit the New Hampshire Chaplain's Fund (which provides grants to service members in need) and Next Level Church (who has been a catalyst in starting this support channel).

 

These channels will follow service members for years after their involvement. The left photo above is from the first military support group I was a part of in 2014, which still touches me today. The second photo is from the most recent military wedding I officiated.

 

What I am asking of you today is to consider stepping alongside me in community support by either sharing my cause with someone you know, in prayer (if you’re a praying person) or by financially supporting this cause with any dollar amount.

 

You can financially support this cause through this gofundme or by the following avenues:

 

Venmo: @sunsets-essential

PayPal: @Vjollimore

 

Your support of my cause by any means, whether sharing, praying or by financial support, means the world to me. If you know of any military service members or veterans who may need any social or spiritual services, please do not hesitate to have them reach out to me. I am happy to point someone in the right direction, lend a listening ear, prayer, or put them on my list for when an entirely funded wedding package is available to them.

 

Thank you so much for reading about what I am trying to grow here in our community. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or if you would like your donation to aid in tax deductions.

 

Blessings to you and your family

 

Victoria