“Our military families sacrifice a great deal in service to our country,” said Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) Command Master Chief Dayna Winn. “It’s wonderful to see them be supported and appreciated in this way. I know they appreciate having these layaway balances paid to ease the burden of purchasing items for back-to-school.”

Select families with back-to-school layaways were asked to come into their local NEX where they were shown a video from Sarah McLellan, Executive Director of Pay Away the Layaway, Inc. She delivered the news that their layaway balances had been paid.

“We're humbled to be able to pay off some back to school layaways for military families this year,” said McLellan. “This can be a challenging time of year, and seeing the joy on these parents' faces is so special. Our partners, donors, and volunteers continue to amaze us with their generosity, and we're grateful for the opportunity to pay off layaways for families who sacrifice so much to keep us all safe. We're excited to continue spreading joy as we head into the fall and holiday season!”

Since 2016, NEX layaway balances totaling nearly $200,000 have been paid for military families. Pay Away the Layaway, Inc., works with retail stores across the country to surprise families by paying off remaining layaway balance.