JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – News4JAX is partnering with Navy Federal Credit Union and the United Service Organizations to launch “Help on the Homefront,” a monthlong drive in May to collect care packages and essential items for service members and their families in northeast Florida.
Jacksonville is home to one of the nation’s largest military populations, and the campaign aims to support enlisted service members with items they may not easily be able to buy while deployed or preparing to deploy.
“Help on the Homefront is going to be a month-long celebration. Military Appreciation Month is one of our favorite things here at Navy Federal,” Shareef White, a Navy Federal branch manager, said.
He said the credit union is asking members to donate personal care items, travel-size toiletries and snack foods to support enlisted service members.
USO staff said donated items will be assembled into individual care packages and handed directly to service members who are leaving on deployment.
“If they’re leaving on a deployment, we will actually hand them directly to the service members as they’re going, so that they can take that with them,” Zola Foret, USO senior center operations specialist, said.
“These are items that they can’t easily just go and purchase,” Erick Lallemand, USO operations manager, said. “So it’s really meaningful for them to be able to have these items on hand.”
Donation boxes are available at Navy Federal branches across Jacksonville. Organizers say volunteers and community members can drop off items during branch hours.
Suggested items include:
- Snack items: granola bars, fruit snack packs, macaroni and cheese, cookies, cup-of-soup, ramen noodles, Pop-Tarts, instant oatmeal, trail mix, canned chicken or tuna
- Personal care and hygiene: toothbrushes, toothpaste, wet wipes, deodorant, disposable razors, shaving cream, feminine hygiene products, hand sanitizer, eye drops, lip balm
- Travel-size toiletries and washcloths
News4JAX reporter Andrea Snody who serves in the Army National Guard said such donations provide more than supplies.
“When I was deployed overseas, I relied heavily on the USO for items I needed, or even a simple morale boost,” Snody said.
Organizers say the goal is to give service members a piece of home while they’re away — one care package at a time.