The American Red Cross is accepting applications from people in the Cape May area who wish to become a host family for Operation Fireside, a program providing recruits from the Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May with a place to call home on Thanksgiving and/or Christmas Day. The recruits, who are away from home during the Coast Guard’s eight-week basic training, are matched by the Red Cross and the Coast Guard with local families who are willing to open their homes to recruits during the holidays.
For more than 40 years, families and local organizations in Cape May County have been welcoming the Coast Guard recruits into their homes, with many continuing this meaningful tradition year after year. Approximately 700 recruits are placed each holiday with more than 100 generous Cape May area families and community organizations who warmly welcome the recruits with a holiday meal and the comforts of home.
The opportunity to participate in Operation Fireside is now open to additional families wishing to welcome recruits into their homes, especially on Thanksgiving Day. All prospective host families must live within 50 miles or within a 60-minute drive (whichever comes first) of the Coast Guard Training Center at One Munro Avenue in Cape May.
Those who meet the criteria and wish to apply or learn more can contact the Red Cross Operation Fireside program coordinators by email at opfiresidenj@redcross.org or by calling 609-562-3483. Host families will be added this year on a first-come, first-served basis through November 5, 2026.
