CLEVELAND -- There are a lot of local troops serving in the Middle East, but there are also thousands of men and women called up to serve stateside in helping to provide homeland security.

NewsChannel5's Ted Hart reported that a program called Operation Uplink helps these troops stay in touch with their families by providing prepaid calling cards.

Kelly Weenink has three children and a house to take care of by herself. Her husband's Army National Guard unit was called up to help provide stateside security.

There are thousands of reservists now on active duty providing security at military bases, some airports and federal buildings. Weenink said that, after a few months, family budgets have gotten tight.

"So everybody's working on credit cards, tax refunds and savings," she said. "People are going to have to have assistance."

But there is help available. NewsChannel5 teamed up with SBC Ameritech and the local VFW to promote Operation Uplink, a program that provides free 20-minute calling cards to military service members.

People can go online to have a prepaid calling card sent to a soldier they know.

It's a way to make sure families like the Weeninks stay in touch without the burden of a huge phone bill.

"Whether it's here in (the) States or overseas, that's a huge bill," Weenink said. "(It) doesn't take very long to get to 20 minutes. I have three kids who want to talk to their dad."

Weenink said Operation Uplink is a fantastic program -- a great help to military families trying to stay in touch while at the same time trying to watch their budgets.

It's also a wonderful way for others to say thank you to the men and women in the military by making a donation to the program to help make more phone cards available.

For more information on the program, call (800) 479-5228 or visit www.operationuplink.org.