I watched Oprah's show yesterday about the need to be more aware of the sacrifices soldiers and their families are making for us every day and I couldn't agree more! I am completely on board with doing what I can to help out, but when I go to the websites to find volunteer opportunities suggested by Oprah and Mrs. Obama, I can't find anything relating to my area. Do you have any suggestions of where I can volunteer or what I can do for soldiers and families to show my support? Thank you :)
There is a USO at every airport! Give them a call, they would be happy to have you help out.
M.
"Imagine giving birth to a baby in a new town while you are enlisted in the service or your spouse is deployed serving our country?" Operation Showers of Appreciation provides newborn necessities to young military families either individually or at group baby showers. Many of the young enlisted people are barely getting by financially when they begin their families. Operation Showers of Appreciation helps them to welcome their infant and takes some of the strain off of acquiring layette items.
http://www.operationshowersofappreciation.org/Donations_Y...
This is a very worthy organization. I hope you and others that read this will support them.
Have you checked out anysoldier.com? You can send care packages or letters and they give them to military members who do not otherwise receive letters from home.
K.:
Go to your USO. You have several bases - reserve and active near you in Ft. Worth - contact the base operator and ask for the USO or any organization they have locally to support the troops. I don't know if the base MWR (moral welfare recreation) might have something as well.
I know in Dallas they have groups of people that greet our soldiers coming home.
Find your local USO.
There is always a need at the USO and they do so much for the soldiers.
Did you know that DFW airport has a group of people that welcome soldiers home as they are either arriving at DFW or passing through DFW. You can check it out on the link below. I had the joy of being there one day and watching the group organize. I was there to greet my husband who was coming home for midtour from a year in Korea.
I also saw Oprah's show yesterday when my mom called me to tell me to turn it on. I am the wife of a soldier who is currently deployed for a year (3 months down, 9 to go!) We moved over the summer to a new neighborhood and because my husband is AGR (active dury National Guard/Reserve) we live in a civilian community without a military base nearby (which makes a lot of difference in terms of support/activites/assistance during deployment). Michelle Obama pointed out that this is the case for many military families and I was so happy to hear her mention it. Although we are new in town, my neighbor set up a "Care calendar" without me knowing about it and got the rest of the neighborhood on board. Now, one night each week, someone makes dinner for our family (it's me and my 2 young children at home) and drops it off. I felt SO wierd accepting this at first, but I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it now! One night a week "off" from cooking while still eating a "home cooked meal" is wonderful. It also has allowed me to get to know new neighbors as they drop off meals. We've had quite a bit of snow, and each time, without my asking, a neighbor has shoveled for me and cleared my car. Again, cannot tell you how much I appreciate it! Other neighbors have offered to babysit, have helped pick things up at the store when the kids were sick and I couldn't get out or just call or pop by to see if there's anything we need. Seriously, it's the simple things. So if you know of a family with a deployed family member, there is so much you can do!
Thank you for helping out!
from what I've read/heard, soldiers want to know that their loved ones back home (here) are being taken care of. Bh had a great idea about taking care of the soldier's wives when they're pregnant/giving birth. Oftentimes, these military families live far from their relatives (I was a military kid. My mom had to deal with me as a newborn, plus my two toddler brothers all by herself a 3-days drive away from any family members). So many military moms have nooone to help them go to dr appointments, take care of their newborn (and everything that goes with that), or take care of their other kids while they give birth to their newborn, etc. Often they don't have someone to help mow the lawn or put heavy things (Xmas decor) back into the attic. Just imagne what you would want if your husband were away for a few months. See if the USO can get you involved with a new mom or something of the sort where you can use your expertise/gifts to bless a military family. You have a good heart. Stick with your mission/goal to help the military families.
