By Mike Johnston
It all started from humble beginnings. Through the SHFM association with the US Air Force John L Hennessy Program, (where certain civilians are tasked with assisting Air Force Personnel in evaluating their foodservice establishments across the globe), it became evident to each of the “travelers” that the “sacrifice and service” that is often heard is real, demanding, and downright difficult.
We are not the only organization that assists deployed service members by mailing them a “Box of Home”, but we are a proud bunch hoping to bring a smile and a thank you to those men and women defending our freedoms, many of them thousands of miles from home.
Our very first event in the Fall of 2021, totaled 62 Care Packages. As the events unfolded, annually the totals went to 316, 1181, 2288, and as of this writing, 2261.
That is a grand total of 6108.
These Care Packages have reached Australia, Africa, Alaska, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Cuba, Kuwait, and other undisclosed locations. They’ve gone to Airmen, Marines, Soldiers, and Coast Guardsmen.
Each act of kindness helps, whether one box is sent from one home, or an office holds a packaging event sending hundreds of packages at a time.
There are many ways to help. If you’d like to be a part of the program, send an email to Wecare@hqtrs.com or all the SHFM Headquarters.