The Cracker Barrel Foundation is sponsoring an Operation Purple® Family Retreat in Nashville, Tenn., as part of an ongoing partnership with the National Military Family Association (NMFA) to provide reintegration support to military families.

Sandra Cochran, CEO of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc., for Operation Purple (Photo: Business  ...

Sandra Cochran, CEO of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc., for Operation Purple (Photo: Business Wire)

The retreat provides military servicemen and women returning from active duty with the opportunity to reconnect as a family. The retreat is being held this weekend at the Joe C. Davis Outdoor Center in Nashville.

Earlier this year, the Cracker Barrel Foundation kicked off its partnership with NMFA by sponsoring an Operation Purple Family Retreat in Asheville, NC. The Operation Purple Family Retreat program is funded through a $100,000 donation from the Cracker Barrel Foundation.

“Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. and the Cracker Barrel Foundation have a rich tradition of supporting organizations that lift up our servicemen, servicewomen and veterans,” said Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. President and CEO Sandra B. Cochran, a former captain in the U.S. Army. “Our partnership with National Military Family Association means a great deal to us and we are proud to host another retreat that creates fun, healthy environments for families to reconnect after military separation.”

Operation Purple Family Retreat uses a popular ‘camp’ approach in outdoor locations to provide fun family oriented activities, new memory making, and the ability to spend quality time together.

“For 45 years Cracker Barrel has been connecting families around the dinner table in our 633 stores across 42 states,” added Cochran, whose father was a career U.S. Army officer. “These retreats embody Cracker Barrel and the NMFA’s shared goal of strengthening the bonds of military families.”

“Since 2009, Operation Purple Family Retreats have served more than 350 families and 1,500 family members,” said Joyce Wessel Raezer, Executive Director of the National Military Family Association. “With the commitment of the Cracker Barrel those numbers – and the success stories they represent – will continue to grow.”

Support of the military by Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. and its Foundation has included: Wounded Warrior Project Solider Ride; Construction of the Boundless Playground at Fort Campbell; the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C; the doughboy statue commemorating WWI; homeless shelters and food pantries serving the veteran population; Canine Companions for Independence; and the Civil Air Patrol of Florida.

About Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. provides a friendly home-away-from-home in its old country stores and restaurants. Guests are cared for like family while relaxing and enjoying real home-style food and shopping that’s surprisingly unique, genuinely fun and reminiscent of America’s country heritage…all at a fair price. The restaurant serves up delicious, home-style country food such as meatloaf and homemade chicken n’ dumplins as well as its made from scratch biscuits using an old family recipe. The authentic old country retail store is fun to shop and offers unique gifts and self-indulgences.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (Nasdaq:CBRL) was established in 1969 in Lebanon, Tenn., and operates 633 company-owned locations in 42 states. Every Cracker Barrel unit is open seven days a week with hours Sunday through Thursday, 6 a.m. – 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 6 a.m. - 11 p.m. For more information, visit crackerbarrel.com.

About Cracker Barrel Foundation

The Cracker Barrel Foundation seeks to strengthen and preserve our community by supporting programs in the areas of education, human services, cultural affairs, and the environment. Special consideration is given to programs which address children, youth and family issues, and emphasize traditional values such as hard work, education, and self-reliance. Since 1996, the Cracker Barrel Foundation has awarded over 700 scholarships and provided over 1300 grants to charitable organizations in communities across the country. To learn more, visit www.crackerbarrel.com/foundation.

About the National Military Family Association

Military families serve our country with pride, honor, and quiet dedication. The National Military Family Association is the leading nonprofit organization committed to strengthening and protecting the families of the men and women currently serving, retired, wounded or fallen. We provide families of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Commissioned Corps of the USPHS and NOAA with information, work to get them the benefits they deserve, and offer programs that improve their lives. Our 44 years of service and accomplishments have made us a trusted resource for military families and the Nation's leaders. To learn more, visit www.MilitaryFamily.org.