SA Germany Blog

Donations to Landstuhl – From Receipt to Distribution

Mail call!

Mail is delivered to Soldiers’ Angels about twice a week. These deliveries are the wonderful donations from all of you, our amazing supporters. From blankets to deodorant, sweatpants to q-tips, these donations are sorted, organized, and redistributed within a very short period of time. Here’s a glimpse of how that process works in Germany and exactly what our team of volunteers do once your items are received.

Mail Call at Landstuhl with boxes of donated items for Soldiers' Angels

The large boxes are blankets and although it looks like a lot, the number of blankets shown here can be gone within a week.  

Soldiers' Angels receiving room at Landstuhl

 The receiving room where donations are unpacked and documented.

Soldiers' Angels volunteers sorting donated items in Germany

Here volunteers are sorting mixed personal care items so they can be stored and distributed by type.

Items donated to Soldiers' Angels

Many items are distributed as soon as they unpacked, but others move into storage. Nothing stays around long – the items in the storage rooms turn over completely about once a month. The shelves shown here have bins of knit caps, flip flops, and men’s deoderant in addition to the blankets you can see. 

Soldiers' Angels Germany Store Room

Like most medical facilities, space is tight so our shelves are only a few feet apart. Part of the shelf to the left has a box with religious items as well as electronics like hand-held games and iPods. On the back wall you can see some blankets sorted by service branch.

Personal care and hygiene items are a huge help to Soldiers' Angels Germany

Toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, soap, razors, shaving cream, nail clippers, q-tips, combs, foot powder, deoderant, lotion – you name it, we got it (from all of you!!).

Blanket and pillow case donations to Soldiers' Angels Germany

 In another storage room additional blankets and travel pillows are stored in boxes stacked against the back wall, and in front of the shelves are grab bins with lounge pants. 

Sweats and shirts donated to Soldiers' Angels Germany

 Sweat pants and hoodies are most difficult to keep in stock, as you can see by the sparse shelves. T-shirts, underwear, and socks are stored on an island of shelves to the right in the middle of the room. 

Leta unpacking a shipment of sweats

 Leta unpacking a shipment of sweats.

Self Service shelves of items at Landstuhl

Clothing, blankets, and personal care items are placed on self-service shelves in the laundry room of the outpatient barracks so they are are available 24/7. This is where the outpatients stay while being evaluated and treated at the hospital.

Helping a patent select a blanket

Gold Star Mom Linda Ferrara helping a patient select a blanket. He’s wearing a Soldiers’ Angels t-shirt he received in an SA backpack at a hospital in Afghanistan.

Unpacking quilts donated to Soldiers' Angels Germany

 

Linda and MaryAnn unpacking quilts.

Distributing items at Landstuhl

Blankets, travel pillows, knit caps, and other items are delivered to the hospital wards for inpatients, as well as coffee for the nursing staff.

Wounded service member happy to receive donated items from Soldiers' Angels

May no soldier go unloved,
May no soldier walk alone,
May no soldier be forgotten,
Until they all come home.™

A current list of most-needed items can be found here: Supporting Wounded Warriors at Landstuhl Hospital