Our service members endure the hardships of military life every day. Long deployments, months away from loved ones, living in war zones — these things take a toll on even the strongest soldiers. After they return home and transition to civilian life, the realities of living as a veteran can often be just as challenging.
What if you could give back to these service members and veterans? What if you could do just one little thing to boost their morale on the battlefield or thank them for their past services?
That is exactly what the “Angel” volunteers do at San Antonio-based Soldiers’ Angels.
Founded in 2003 by the mother of two American soldiers, Soldiers’ Angels is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides aid and comfort to the men and women of the United States Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard; their families; and the growing veteran population. Hundreds of thousands of Angel volunteers assist veterans, as well as wounded and deployed personnel and their families, in a variety of unique and effective ways.
The organization has 12 different teams. They range from the Angel Baker Team, which bakes homemade treats, to the Sewing & Crafting Teams, which sew blankets for veterans, to the Deployed Adoptions Team, which “adopts” a service member. The best part about the team opportunities is that they are all completely virtual, so you can bake goodies, sew blankets, or adopt a soldier no matter where you live. All you need is a computer, the internet, and yourself!
Currently there are nearly 300 service members awaiting “adoption” from the Deployed Adoptions Team. Are you the Angel they’ve been waiting for?
In addition to the 12 virtual teams, Soldiers’ Angels also offers “boots on the ground” opportunities for volunteers within VA hospitals and medical centers. Volunteers and staff coordinate events and activities for veterans at VA’s and even have the opportunity to participate in patient visits to distribute comfort items.
The brave individuals that serve or have served our country rose to the challenges of military life. Can you rise to the challenge of giving something back to them to thank them for their service?
For more information, visit SoldiersAngels.org.
Deployed service members posing with their coffee for a photo: “Soldiers’ Angels…Thanks for the coffee!”
