The Villages
USA Cares Volunteers at The Villages
Dennis Demshar, HoneyBaked Ham, Presents $3,500 check to USA Cares from Spaghetti Dinner Proceeds.
Knights of Columbus, 4th Degree, St. Timothy Parish in the Villages presents second $500 donation to USA Cares.
The Red Garter Girls!
Red Garter JB
USA Cares Volunteers boasts approximately 60 members and meet each month on the second Friday at Laurel Manor Recreation Center at 9:00 AM. They work to hold fundraising events benefitting USA Cares throughout the year while creating awareness of the USA Cares mission. Everyone willing to donate some time is invited to attend. Watch for our announcements in the Recreation News and wear your red shirt. Planned events for 2012 include:
APRIL 6: RED GARTER JAZZ BAND @ AMERICAN LEGION POST #347; 6- 8:30pm
APRIL 10: BOB EVANS CHARITY DAY FOR USA CARES
APRIL 13: USA CARES VOLUNTEER MEETING
GARY KADOW: PROJECT SOS
APRIL 20 : “RAGTIME EVOLUTION QUARTET” PERFORMS @ THE SPEAKEASY
COLONY COTTAGE
6:30PM – 9:30PM
APRIL 21: BELKS CHARITY DAY
MAY 3: WELLS FARGO COMMUNITY PARTNER BREAKFAST: $1000 DONATION TO USA CARES
MAY 10: RED GARTER JAZZ BAND @ AMERICAN LEGION POST #347; 6-8:30pm
MAY 11: USACARES VOLUNTEER MEETING
COL. HARRY LUMPKIN; FORMER AIDE TO GEN. COLIN POWELL
DRAWING FOR TWO ANGUILLA VACATION PACKAGES
MAY 21: TRI-COUNTY OPTIMISTS MEETING; RICH SOBIERAY TO SPEAK.
JUN/AUG: USACARES SECOND ANNUAL CRUISE
(DETAILS AVAILABLE ASAP)
JUN 8: USACARES VOLUNTEER MEETING
BRIG. GEN. JOHN SEIVERTSON GUEST SPEAKER
JULY 13: USACARES VOLUNTEER MEETING
AUG 10: USACARES VOLUNTEER MEETING
SEPT 14: USACARES VOLUNTEER MEETING
OCT/NOV: SECOND ANNUAL HONEY BAKED HAM EVENT
DINNER AND ENTERTAINMENT
(DETAILS ASAP)
NOV 5: THE DUPREES PERFORM @ THE SAVANNAH CENTER; USA CARES BENEFITS FROM PARTIAL
PROCEEDS.
NOV 24: USA CARES CHARITY FIVE NIGHT WESTERN CARIBBEAN CRUISE; ROYAL CARIBBEAN JEWEL OF THE SEAS FROM TAMPA, FL, TO COZUMEL, TO KEY WEST. TO TAMPA. CONTACT KIM SUNDAHL @ 352-259-9927
DECEMBER: VILLAGES CHRISTMAS PARADE
OTHER VENTURES:
• SAVANNAH CENTER CHARITY NITE TO BE ANNOUNCED
• TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR SEVEN NITE CONDO IN ANGUILLA,BWI @ $10…MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO USA CARES AND SEND TO RICH SOBIERAY…1829 SAN GABRIEL STREET…THE VILLAGES, FL 32159…RICH2122@EMBARQMAIL.COM
Click here to become a USA Cares volunteer.
As a national non-profit organization, we rely heavily on our volunteers to help spread the word and carry out our mission. We are currently looking for volunteers across the nation—especially in the DC, San Diego, Tampa Bay and San Antonio areas. USA Cares volunteers assist us in the following areas:
Troop Support Programs
Perhaps some of the most popular ways our volunteers have contributed to helping USA Cares is through our Operation Programs:
Operation Backpack
Operation Backpack started in an effort to provide a backpack, duffle bag or satchel to a recuperating service member. Our goal is to assure that our service members never have to pack their belongings in a trash bag when leaving a VA Medical Center or Military Hospital. Click here to learn more about Operation Backpack.
Operation Brave Boxer
The mission of Brave Boxer is to provide undergarments, hygiene items, phone cards and postage to our service members who arrive at military medical facilities. To date, we have provided 2,000 pounds of goods to VA Medical Centers and Military Hospitals all over the nation. Click here to learn more about Operation Brave Boxer. Following is a list of all the items we accept in support of this program.
Staff Assistance
USA Cares is always in need of volunteers to assist with our day-to-day operations at our headquarters.
Virtual Committee
To reduce and eliminate bias in a case, all cases are summarized and submitted to a committee of volunteers via e-mail for recommendations (we call it a “vote”) on each case. The Virtual Committee is made up of business owners, military spouses, retirees and community leaders, all with military backgrounds who understand the challenges of military life.
Ombudsman
Sometimes after a Service Member applies for assistance from USA Cares we are unable to contact them or never hear back; we want to know why. An Ombudsman contacts those service members to find out why they no longer required or needed our services.
Home Office Support
Be a volunteer at our home office! We always appreciate volunteers visiting our office and assisting staff, answering phones, mailing packages and other general administrative duties.
Fundraising
USA Cares is always looking for opportunities to raise money to assist our veterans:
Shadow Walk
The national campaign is designed to promote USA Cares as a national “first choice” charity for our military and their families and to help raise funds to continue the mission started in 2003 of providing a “Hand Up and Not A Handout” to those who serve. Click here for more information.
Red Shirt Friday
Get your co-workers together and have everyone wear a red USA Cares shirt. Click here to see Red Shirt Friday in action.
Golf Scrambles
Organize a golf event
Liberty Lemonade
Individuals set up a lemonade stand to raise funds for USA Cares; possible locations include golf courses, front yards, during garage sales and other community functions. Click here for the Liberty Lemonade story.
Have an Idea?
We want to hear your ideas! Please contact the .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) with any thoughts or suggestion.
Volunteer Support
We are constantly seeking key volunteers to represent us and spread our mission. Often times people want to help and volunteer, but do not know how. There are many different ways you can get involved and help support USA Cares.
Participate in USA Cares and Area Events
If there is a USA Cares sponsored event taking place in your area, please participate! We will always be sure to keep you posted of upcoming events in your area and ask if you want to volunteer. If there is an event taking place in your area that you think would be appropriate to participate in as a USA Cares volunteer, please do so. This could include a holiday celebration, parade, town festival, or the like. We are more than willing to help accommodate.
Join and help us expand our USA Cares Facebook Fan Page. Facebook is a great tool for us to spread our mission and tell the world all the wonderful things we are doing. Click here for a two minute message from Retired CSM Roger Stradley, USA Cares Founder and Outreach Director.
Tell the USA Cares Story
One person really can make a difference. We all belong to a variety of groups whether it is work, church, school, bowling league, book club, cooking class or any other type of organization. Becoming well-rehearsed with USA Cares will allow you to spread our mission to the groups you belong, which in return will allow the people you informed to tell other people thereby creating a domino effect. Telling just one person about USA Cares really can have a huge impact.
Have an Idea?
Maybe you have an idea for an event or as a way to get our voice heard. We want to hear about it—please contact us at 800.773.0387 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Become a USA Cares Representative
We are constantly seeking key volunteers to represent us and spread our mission. We can’t help families if they don’t know that we exist.
Reserve and National Guard Units
Visit your local Reserve/Guard unit and distribute pamphlets about USA Cares. Talk to the Family Assistance Center and give them a briefing about what USA Cares does. Also, attend the different events and social gatherings the unit holds to talk about our mission:
- Yellow Ribbon Events
- Welcome home and Deployment Gatherings
VA Medical Centers, Military Hospitals and Fisher Houses
Answer basic questions that service members might have and inform them that USA Cares appreciates their sacrifice and service. Volunteering in this capacity is easy and fun!
- Choose a VA hospital, military hospital and Fisher House located close to you
- USA Cares will make contact with the facility you choose to represent us and find out the requirements for volunteering as a USA Cares Representative
- After the completion of training to meet both USA Cares and the facilities requirements, choose a time that best works for you to volunteer
- Put on a red USA Cares shirt once every couple weeks
- Bring a friend or family member to help
Military Bases and Installations
Contact appropriate departments on base such as the Family Readiness Center (FRC), Warrior Treatment Unit (WTU), Army Community Service (ACS), and Soldier & Family Assistance Center (SFAC). Another great group to contact are the Family Readiness Groups (FRG), which consists of the family members of service members. Inform these groups of USA Cares, our mission and services by handing out information, answering basic questions and letting them know that we are here to assist their families.
- If you currently live near a base, but do not have access to get on, please let us know and we will assist in helping you get a pass
- We can also assist with getting the appropriate contact names and numbers of the different groups on base
- Attending a monthly meeting and saying a few words can have a profound effect in informing people about USA Cares
- Invite a friend to help with distributing the information
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Why USA Cares?
A. We are the only non-profit organization assisting troops that posts all of our financial and statistical numbers every week and make it readily available on our website. We are the only non-profit organization that puts ninety cents of every donor dollar directly to our assistance programs by keeping low overhead costs and a small staff. We are the only non-profit organization assisting troops that creates new programs such as Jobs for Vets and our Lender Program, which is a Military Family Housing Lender Education Program we created to give real estate professionals a better understanding of military language, rank, and pay system.
Q. Why Are USA Cares Volunteers So Important?
A. USA Cares was born seven years ago; the first three years of our existence was built solely on volunteers. Based in Kentucky, our volunteers continue to serve as an integral, vital part to our growth and sustainability. In order to continue the good work we are doing, we need our volunteers located all over the nation to spread our mission by either word-of-mouth or boots on the ground.
Q. What Are the Benefits of Being a USA Cares Volunteer?
A. While being a volunteer is an unpaid position, USA Cares is a Certifying Organization of The President’s Volunteer Service Award. This award recognizes and honors volunteers for their commitment to civic participation. We value our volunteers sharing the sacrifice of our troops and want to recognize your support efforts. After a volunteer reaches a certain level of service hours over a 12-month period, we present the volunteer with an award package. For more information on The Presidents Volunteer Service Award, please visit http://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/index.cfm.
Q. Where Is the Nearest USA Cares Office?
A. USA Cares has no chapters; we are headquartered in Radcliff, Kentucky right outside of Fort Knox. A lot of our volunteer opportunities require a lot of time spent working on your own. While we are always just a phone call away, your volunteer experience will primarily be a virtual experience and will be spent solely with other USA Cares volunteers in your area at an event, on your own with friends and family holding a fundraiser, or with service members and veterans at a Military Hospital, VA, National Guard or Reserve Unit, base or some other military installation.
Training
If you would like to help today’s newest veterans then USA Cares is the right organization for you! You can begin learning about USA Cares by reviewing the presentation below which provides important background information and various volunteer opportunities.
Upon receipt of your volunteer application and chosen area of volunteer interest, additional training will be determined. For example, should you choose to become a USA Cares Representative in a military hospital or VA Medical Center, a background check and reference checks may be required. Also, ongoing training and communication with USA Cares staff will be necessary in order to stay current on our recent activities and program developments.
As always, we are here to assist you. Please .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) with any questions or concerns.
