November 2022 Newsletter

Veterans Deserve our Gratitude

We see veterans mingling amongst us nearly every day. Whether standing beside us in line at the grocery store or out and about with their kids. Obvious clues such as a cap on the head, perhaps a t-shirt or tattoo. Even the subtlety of a service ring can be a tell. Young or old this humble yet elite group of citizens makes up approximately 7% of the United States population according to a 2018 report on the U.S. Census Bureau website.

Occasionally, we honor our service members with parades, confetti, and military appreciation nights. A public pat on the back or handshake that makes us feel pretty darned good about ourselves. However, too often our veterans are ignored. Worse yet, disrespected, scorned or ridiculed. We offer “Thank you for your service” in passing, but it is simply is not enough.

According to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans website, veterans make up nearly 13% of the U.S. homeless population. Furthermore, This data illustrates that our veterans experience homelessness at a rate nearly twice the rate of the average citizen. Factors such as PTSD, difficulty reentering society after deployment and substance abuse often plague our veterans. Afterall, our veterans experience things we can’t even imagine on our darkest days.

Our mission is supporting our deployed troops through our care package program. Actively supporting our brave service men and women helps build a foundation of care. Our troops know they are never alone and never forgotten. Your personal support notes frequently act as a lifeline. Consider it a long distance hug to a lonely troop. The proof is in our feedback from our troops. Subsequently, we hear time and time again from our troops that our care packages are game changers.

We don’t stop there, however, we also work with veterans. Groups such as WWP, Collaborative Courts, VFWs or individual volunteers come in to MAF headquarters to get assistance as well as volunteer and help us out. Be it packing and shipping needs or a variety of other important tasks. Allowing our veterans to be part of a larger support community can make a big difference in their quality of life and we love it.

Join us in honoring our veteran as we celebrate Veterans Day Friday, November 11, 2022.

Thanksgiving in Name and Deed

Thanksgiving is a holiday rooted in the tradition of gathering around the table with loved-ones. We feast and quite literally offer Thanksgiving for the gifts in our lives and the prosperity we share. Time to count our blessings, bow our heads in praise and remember family and friends who can’t be with us to share the day.  At Move America Forward, we’re thankful to each and every one of you who send packages and messages of support to our deployed to let them know we remember them.

With help from the Wounded Warrior Project, we will be distributing Thanksgiving Day turkey dinners for military families along with making sure as many soldiers as possible get a taste of the holidays with some special Thanksgiving treats in our care packages. Of course, our packages are packed with plenty of our regular treats like beef jerky, nutritious trail mix, candies, cookies, field wipes and lots more.  And every Thanksgiving package includes a special personalized message of support to our troops from the sponsor at no additional cost.

Don’t procrastinate! Before you know it you will be asking yourself where another year has gone. Let MAF make it easier to remember our troops. We even offer the possibility of having your donation dollars go further with our Company Matching Gift Program. Our website is a breeze to navigate. If you just aren’t comfortable online, get in touch with us and we will personally assist you. We want to be able to do everything possible to help, so if you’re even thinking “We should really do something to support the troops” now is the time.

From our MAF family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!

Keep the Smiles Coming All Year Round

Imagine how good it must feel for a service member to hear their name shouted out during mail call. How excited they must be as they reach out to receive a nice hefty box wrapped in our iconic Move America Forward packing tape.  You better believe they know there is a treat coming, what a great surprise! Can’t you just see the ear-to-ear grin? Well, our Monthly Smiles Program gives you the chance to make that happen for real.

A package from home filled with everyday items like personal care products, snacks, cookies, coffee, and most importantly a letter of support can truly lift the morale and boost the well-being of our troops.  Our ongoing support program allows our troops to receive care packages throughout the year and not just special holidays like Christmas when other organizations may run an annual drive. Sign up for ongoing support and you can pick your frequency and the amount that you are comfortable with. Sign up is simple, when you order from the website just choose your options at the time.

We know you expect the most value from your donation, that’s why we at Move America Forward strive to make the most of every donation, and are proud to report on a seven-year average 87% of each dollar donated goes directly to our care package program and we maintain the highest charity ratings.

If you have questions about setting up a Monthly Smiles program for holidays only or need help setting up your plan, contact Lisa Baron, our Monthly Smiles Director at [email protected].

Featured Product: Premium Ghirardelli Chocolate

As temperatures drop, we like to add some sweet surprises to our care package offerings. Chocolate melts easily when summer temperatures soar, but with Fall and Winter cooler temperatures allow us to include and ship this sweet confection. For a limited time only, we are proud to include premium Ghirardelli chocolate squares in a variety of tempting flavors to please every palette in our care packages. Ghirardelli uses non-GMO ingredients and practices sustainable cocoa bean production according to the Ghirardelli website which means their farmers benefit from their practices.

We know our troops benefit when they are treated to some extra decadent treats in their care packages! Ghirardelli chocolates can currently be found in our care packages right besides all our other support items. Treat our troops to personal care items, coffee, premium jerky, and more!

November Photo of the Month