Heroes Waiting
for Adoption
Soldiers' Angels Operation Outreach
Supporting the Families of Deployed Heroes
"...There is a group of people far more deserving of recognition than us soldiers. It is the military spouse. My wife is [at home] taking care of my two beautiful daughters. Please someone give her some support."
Our troops will tell you, deployment doesn't just affect those who are sent, military families serve, too. Some military families have few resources, and limited family assistance local to them. These families give so much to all of us, and we want to support and thank them for their own service here at home while their loved ones are away. Operation Outreach helps say "Thank You" to the unsung hometown heroes, the family waiting for the return of their service member. We make sure our deployed heroes know that while they protect us over there, we will help look out for their families here at home.
What We Do
Although our primary request is for cards and letters of support for family members, Operation Outreach also provides gifts to help with make a birthday or holiday special, coordinates with Angels in local areas to provide ongoing support, links military families with "e-pals" or pen pals who know what they're going through, and provides limited financial assistance in special situations.
Why It Matters
Many Heroes worry a great deal about how their families are going to get along while they're away. Soldiers' Angels adoptees often request items not for themselves, but for their loved ones at home. Knowing their loved ones are taken care of helps deployed service members focus on their mission and stay safe.
Here are examples of some of the requests we've received:
Ben is new to the Army. [He] is being deployed to Iraq now and [his wife] is alone...and doesn't know anyone. They are both very lonely and homesick and miss each other very much. - BH
I lost my brother when I was 15 and now I am the only child. It is so hard on my parents that I am deployed. Can someone please pray for their strength and drop them a line... - LM
I'm 22, and my wife recently had our first child... All the diapers, formula, clothes and bills are real expensive... Anything that you could send would be greatly appreciated. - KF
My wife...just recently got out of the Army so that we wouldn't have to do split tours. We feared that we would never see each other and with children involved it would have been a little too rough... I always feel supported and am always thanked for serving in Iraq. I feel bad, though, because I feel like she gets left out and doesn't get thanked for her hard work and dedication that she put into the army. I would really like if she received a thank you... I would much rather have her receive something then myself because if it wasn't for her strength and dedication to our marriage and family, I would not be able to continue the fight. - KR
Me and my wife are going through hard times with me being deployed just three months after our daughter was born. My wife really needs more than I do--she is the one that has to take care of everything while I am away, but anything you can do will be greatly appreciated. CS
How to Help
Donate Items - Please email us if you would like to donate items for homefront care packages or holiday celebrations so that we can let you know what is most needed right now. Send all item donations to:
| If you live EAST of the Mississippi, please ship your donations to: Soldiers' Angels ATTN: Operation Outreach 112 Greenhill Road Ramseur, NC 27316 | If you live WEST of the Mississippi, please ship your donations to: Soldiers' Angels ATTN: Operation Outreach 914 Tourmaline Drive Newbury Park, CA 91320 (Drop-off avail. M-F, 8-4) |
Collect Coupons - Send coupons you don't use for military families to use in the PX/NEX or Commissary on U.S. bases around the world. Note: no coupons for tobacco, alcohol, or restaurants/fast food. They must be "Manufacturer's Coupons." If you can, please sort them into two groups: food and non-food.
Send expired coupons
up to 6 months old to:
Rebecca Waldmann
2672 Flamstead Road
Chester, VT 05143Send current coupons,
including fast food, to:
Glenda Spinner
112 S. Larochelle Street
Assumption, IL 62510
Donate Funds - A shoebox-sized box costs about eight dollars to ship, and some families have needs that are best addressed through means other than direct shipment of items. With your tax-deductible donation, we can quickly purchase and ship exactly what is requested when our Heroes report a need, or use our resources to provide much-needed financial assistance. 100% of your donation will go toward this operation.
Checks should be made out to Soldiers' Angels. Specify "Operation Outreach" in the memo field and send checks to:
Soldiers' Angels
Operation Outreach
1792 E Washington Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91104
You can also donate to Operation Outreach securely through PayPal:
For more information, please mail angels@soldiersangels.org or call (615) 676-0239.
Thank you for allowing us to help the heroes here at home!
Impact
I don't know what to say. I'm at a loss for words. I don't know how to thank you enough for the things you have done to help my family... [My wife] received two packages from you all and she was extremely happy when I got off the phone. Being apart is hard and it is great to have people that understand that the famlies of soldiers go through as much if not more than we do....Thanks for everything! - DT
Thank you for giving my address & e-mail out to such wonderful people!! Yesterday I received a letter from J and an email from M. It is funny how I got both on the same day. I emailed M back and like I told her, she is the first military wife I ever had contact with. She gave me great info and a personal look about what military families go through once the spouse gets. Hearing from these two wonderful ladies was like a blessing... I am so thankful I came across your way!! - NC (a military spouse)
Hey! I talked to my mom today. She said someone contacted her about the soldiers' angels. She said that would be really neat. She doesn't know any other people who have a soldier in the military. Now she can have people to talk to about her situation. Very cool. Thank you again. - MM
...I wanted to thank you so much for helping make my family's Easter so great. My wife is still in awe in all the cards, letters, emails, and boxes of stuff they have received! She has met so many friends on line and have a real connections with some of them. One lady's husband happens to be in my career field which is really small! So thank you so much!... - Todd