Adopting a Service Member Through Soldiers’ Angels: How it Works
August 15, 2024
Looking to support Deployed Service Members overseas and thinking of joining Soldiers’ Angels? We get a lot of questions surrounding the details of our virtual volunteering options and thought we’d share step-by-step what the experience is like. First off, there are a couple of ways you can support Service Members through Soldiers’ Angels. You can sign up as a Virtual Volunteer and pledge to support Service Members on a monthly basis. Or, you can support a one-time campaign that runs seasonally. In the case of our Virtual Volunteering, participating requires that register and go through a verification process.
How to Adopt a Deployed Service Member
We require anyone who is sending Service Members items from their home as a Virtual Volunteer to register and become “verified” through our system. Verification can be done two ways:
- Get verified through a third-party background check company called Verified First.*
- Set up a one-time or recurring donation using a credit card. The donation amount can be as little as $1! (a simpler and faster way for us to verify that you are not signing up under an alias).
Why the verification process? We share sensitive information like Service Member names, deployed location addresses, and other details. Ensuring that everyone is not using aliases protects our Service Members and allows us to remove volunteers from the database if they are acting inappropriately.
*This option uses a Social Security Address Trace from Verified First, a third-party background check company. Soldiers’ Angels covers the cost. After registration, Verified First will email you a form requiring your date of birth and Social Security Number. This is not a credit check and does not have any impact on your credit. Soldiers’ Angels never see this information you enter on the form. The check takes 24-72 hours.
Filling out the form is easy. During the process, you will be asked to create a username and password for our Angel Database. This is where you will log in to regularly check and sign up for opportunities. Once you register through our website, you will be sent a welcome email from someone on our team with more information. Please add [email protected] to your contacts. If you don’t see it, be sure to check your spam folder.
You can log into your Angel account through the Soldiers’ Angels website: www.soldiersangels.org, there is a link in the top right corner labeled Login.
Once you are logged in, look around to learn more about the many opportunities you can select. Beyond adopting a Service Member, you can send letters, write cards, bake, support deployed Chaplains, etc. All you have to do to get started is select an opportunity that speaks to you.
Adopting a Service Member
Adopting a Service Member means supporting that person throughout their deployment with care packages and letters on a monthly basis. You can choose to adopt up to three Service Members at a time, but adopting one is the minimum requirement. Once you select a Service Member, you are required to send at least two letters per month and one care package per month until the Service Member returns home.
Not sure what to send or what to say? We’ve got you covered!
Joining our Community
Becoming an “Angel Volunteer” isn’t a lonely endeavor. It grants you access to an entire community of Angels who support Service Members, Military families, and Veterans. You’ll also receive regular communication from a Mentor who has been assigned to you and can help answer any questions you may have.
In addition, you are also able to join our private Facebook Group, where you can share photos of your care packages, thank you notes from your Service Members, and ask any questions you may have. Our Angels are incredibly supportive, passionate, and kind, and many of them have become friends over the years.
Supporting your Service Member
Adopting a Service Member does not necessarily mean you will hear back from them. Many of our Angels do receive communication back and really get to know the Service Members they are supporting (their likes, dislikes, etc.). Many of them develop friendships that carry on after deployment. But sometimes our Angels don’t hear from their Service Members and send packages throughout the deployment with no word back. We call these service members “Silent Service Members.”
This happens for many reasons. The most common reason is because they are busy with their mission and may not have time to write. Remember, their main priority is the mission, not to respond to letters. Connectivity is often an issue as well. Sometimes, they just don’t know what to say or how to respond. It’s also very common for a Service Member who has been silent to reach out at the end or after their deployment once they have had time to reflect and write back. Whether they correspond with you or not, they are ALWAYS grateful. We get so many thank you notes back from Service Members who have come home and are finally getting the chance to thank their Angels.
So, now that you know ALL there is to know about our Deployed Adoptions Team, are you ready to start adopting your first Service Member?
