Supporting Our Troops.

One of my favorite charities to work with is Soldier’s Angels. Supporting those who fight for our freedom is one on the most important things civilians can do.

I did not understand how important it was to support our military members until I experienced 9/11. Watching the tragedy of 9/11 happen live was one of the most devastating things I will probably ever experience. After 9/11 many of the young men and women I knew joined the military. These men and women were deployed overseas to fight against those who attacked us. Even though everyone may not agree with the reasons we are still at war, we have to support those in the military doing their job.

Soldier’s Angels organization motto is “may no soldier go unloved”. Their goal is to provide all possible support to as many military personnel, veterans, and families. They collect cards, supplies, boxes, letters, and money in support of their efforts.

This past Christmas my mother and I volunteered to pack 30 Christmas stockings. We have packed different donation boxes to the troops before so we have it down to a science now. We setup our little assembly line, and pack pack pack. Our friends have donated filling items to us, and financial donations for the shipping costs. I was extremely touched one year when shipping our boxes out, the man ringing us up at the post office stepped away for a moment to get cash from his own wallet for our shipping bill. I cried in the middle of the post office because of his generosity. I will always remember how his random act of kindness touched my heart.

In other previous years, we had my little cousins write letters to military members. They have always enjoyed writing them, and are thrilled when they get a letter in return. We wrote letters to a family friend’s unit, and my cousin Tiffany received a package back from one of the soldier’s. (Secretly, I was jealous) One of the men that received her letter sent her a military camo backpack with her name stitched on it, in English and Arabic. She will keep and remember that day forever.

There are many ways to volunteer with Soldier’s Angels. They have veteran, deployed, wounded, family, and other support groups. Soldier’s Angels is the only organization authorized to work directly with the VA for veteran support. There are six individual teams who work with deployed members. Letter writing, ladies of liberty, deployed adoption, angel baker, chaplain support, and special forces teams. Each team fulfills their specific need to those deployed. 

The wounded support group works beside people who reside in Germany volunteering at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. The Valor-IT program is also included in the wounded support group, which customizes laptops for wounded servicemen with disabilities.

The family support team is made up of 4 groups with specific interests living legends, operation top knot, women of valor, and the adopt-a-family team. Living legends is a support group for those who have lost a love one. Operation top knot organizes handmade gift giving, and virtual baby showers. Women of valor financially supports caregivers of ill or injured service members. The Adopt-a-family team organizes families who may need a little extra help with the holiday gift giving.

Their website is full of helpful information if you are looking to donate, or volunteer. Please visit the link here. Also, they have a blog you can read to keep up with future events. Click here to visit their blog.

I look forward to every opportunity I have to join Soldier’s Angels. I also look forward to friends joining me in support of their organization.

30 for 30!

I finally reached the big 3-0! Over the past year I have listened to people try to explain to me how turning 30 would feel. Many have been on the verge of a mental breakdown. Their lives are not where they “thought” they would be by now. The other few, have been thrilled about turning 30.

I have thought about how I would feel turning 30 for a few years now. I acknowledge where my life is, and that I am not done with college yet, BUT I know how blessed I am with the life I have. Thirty is the new 20, or so they say.

This year I have made a promise to myself (in celebration of turning 30 years old) I vow to donate to 30 charities over the next year. This may be in terms of a financial donation, or actual items. I have a few in mind already, and I know friends will be posting their events throughout the year.

For starters, the Red Cross is a great donation opportunity; I will be donating blood this week. I donate blood as often as I can. I made a promise to donate as much as possible, after I was in a major car accident with a fatality at the age of 16. This process is rewarding. One donation can save up to 3 lives. It also costs nothing other than my time.

Due to blood donations, my cousin Randi survived a childhood blood disorder.  Randi explained to me, “I developed a rather serious blood disorder when I was 10 years old. We tried medication after medication to control it but little worked. I began needing blood transfusions regularly to keep my blood counts up. As a sick kid in and out of the hospital it was a relief to find something that at least helped some. I am very grateful to people who choose to donate blood. Charity and selflessness on their behalf helped me to become a healthy person.”

Randi Hunt

Stories like these are a true testament to the appreciation of those receiving blood donations. I can only imagine the difficulty for those going through any situation needing blood transfusions, which is why the Red Cross is such an important organization to me.

Unlike myself, a family friend of mine, Jack, has O+ blood type. Being O+ every other blood type can receive transfusions from his donation. Jack persistently donates every 8 weeks. He is also a double red cell donator, meaning they can collect two times the amount of usable red cells, while returning the rest of his blood back to his body. This helps each donation save more lives than the standard blood donation.

Jack Nelson

If you would like to donate blood or money to the Red Cross open the link here.

The Soldier’s Angel Organization, Homeless Angels, Children’s Miracle Network, and Families Against Narcotics are on my list for this year donations. I would love your suggestions of your favorite charities, and what type of donations they may need. Some of the smallest organizations need the most help.