USO, Military Families Show Troops Support with Care Packages

FORT BELVOIR, Va., – While many children are spending their spring break away from the schoolhouse on the couch watching television or playing video games, some spent part of their week off this year volunteering and giving back to their military community.

When the day started, the goal was to put together 500 care packages. But when the care package party ended, nearly 3,000 packages filled with toiletries, snacks and “thank you” cards were boxed up and ready to ship overseas, Wise said.

Since the program started in 2003, the USO has shipped more than 1.5 million care packages to deployed troops serving all over the world, Wise said. Although inviting young children to participate won’t happen very often, he added, it’s definitely an event he and the USO would like to do again.

Rebecca Stoffer, right, places a USO care package into a shipping box for deployed troops during a care package party April 9, 2 009, at Fort Belvoir, Va. Stoffer and her two children were among 70 volunteers, including more than 50 children ages 3 to 17, who spent the day filling care packages with toiletries and snacks for deployed troops.

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