As some of you know, a bunch of us have been raising money to fill care packages for the soldiers sailors, airmen, Marines and guardsmen currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. We affectionately call this "Netroots for the Troops" or NFFT. We will be packing 300 boxes for the troops at Netroots Nation 09. We need YOUR help.
Imagine being far from home, for over a year, in a sweaty environment, where you are in danger every day, where you don’t get enough sleep, and wondering if your country even cares what happens to you. Imagine how much you long for the comforts of home. How can YOU help those serving n Iraq and Afghanistan know YOU care?
- You can write a letter or a card, and send it to jlms qkw (see below), so we can pack it in one of the boxes.
- You can help by sending a small contribution that we can use to purchase the items that the troops can most use. (see below) . In order to fill the boxes with all of items that the troops need, we need to raise $50,000. We are halfway there! But we need YOU to step up and get us to our goal.
- You can, if you have the contacts, help to connect us with a company who can supply the necessary items as a donaton or at a discount.(see below)
Who would YOU be helping to know they are thought of, that they are not forgotten?
You would be helping my heart brother, who I have known since I was 11 years old and he was 7, over thirty years. He is back in Iraq after multiple tours. He works in a transportation unit, one of the most dangerous jobs there is in Iraq as an American soldier. His wife just gave birth to their eighth child, which he missed because he was in Iraq. He needs to know that you care.
You would be helping another friend who is in Afghanistan. A year ago she lost her husband in a very tragic car accident. Imagine being sent to war after the love of your life just died. She needs to know you care.
Many of you are worried about the soldiers who come back suffering with PTSD. As llbear says, and any veteran or veteran’s family can tell you, the most effective weapon in the fight against PTSD is to show the troops that we are thinking about them, that we care. Aren’t they worth a letter? Aren’t they worth a few dollars?
Many of you have heard me talk about my husband, Dan, a Vietnam vet who survived torture. If you were touched by his story, if you wished you could have helped him, consider this the time to "Pay it Forward" and help contribute to the care packages for the troops in the field now. It would make Dan smile.
Please, take the time, NOW, to show them YOU CARE.
With gratitude,
Hugs,
For Dan,
Heather
Our goal for Netroots For The Troops 2009 is $50,000.00 (cash or in-kind donations).
PLEASE DONATE HERE
We realize that you would like to donate something tangible to go inside the packages that will be mailed to the troops. Unfortunately, accepting in-kind donations from individuals is not practical in terms of storage and handling of the items. The Pittsburgh Convention Center is a union shop so we have more stringent rules that need to be followed. Instead, we will only be accepting corporate donations or cash from YOU to purchase items for the care packages this year.
Here’s how YOU can help:
- Please contact TexDem or DonnaMarie if you know someone who might be helpful in securing the corporate in-kind donations. To help you think of companies who could donate products, see below* for a list of potential items. Put your thinking caps on and let us hear from you. It takes time to get through the corporate processes so we need to hear from you ASAP!
- We are accepting cash from individuals and
beg ask that you DONATE HERE to contribute to this worthy cause. Your donation will enable us to purchase the things that we are unable to obtain through corporate donations, and will help to pay the costs of shipping them to our troops. This year your donations will be tax deductible, thanks to Netroots Nation and their partner Netroots Arts and Education Initiative, a California 501(c)3 corporation.
- Sign up for a diary! Our goal is to post two diaries per day until NN09. That’s a lot of diaries! Don’t worry---we’ve made it easy for you. We’ve got a template set up, and all you need to do is add a small introduction telling us why you are donating, sharing a story of someone you know who has served or is serving, or any other thing you want to share that might help motivate others to donate. Please contact Donnamarie if you are interested in posting a diary.
- Do you know a service member who would like to receive a care package? Email a request to: NFTT.request@gmail.com before July 31, 2009.
Please include all of the following information. Unfortunately we will not be able to process any incomplete requests:
Rank:
Last name:
First name:
APO Address Line 1:
APO Address Line 2:
APO Address Zip:
- Write letters to be included in the packages! Our own jlms qkw is collecting the letters and will print them out and bring them to Pittsburgh. Just email your letter to her jlms_qkw@yahoo.com. Look for more information from jlms qkw soon. If you need some ideas, rbutters wrote an excellent diary with tips on how to write letters to troops and why it’s so important to them.
- Help us assemble the packages in Pittsburgh. It's fun! More information will be forthcoming for those of you who are going to be in Pittsburgh and would like to help there.
- Please consider joining the NFTT FaceBook Group. Invite your FaceBook and non-FaceBook friends.
_____________________
*The following list contains some of the things we would like to include in the packages. Please let us know if you know someone who might be helpful in securing these corporate in-kind donations. (Please DO NOT send these items yourself! We have no way to accept them. Instead, your cash donation is the very best way to help make this happen on the ground in Pittsburgh.)
- Baby wipes
- Mechanix gloves
- LED flashlights
- Gel shoe insoles
- Goop Cleaning Gel
- Powdered energy drinks
- Gel energy food packets
- DVDs and CDs
- Letters to the soldiers
- More suggestions coming soon
Books for Soldiers
Soldiers love to receive books, but due once again to the logistics of collecting and storing them prior to NN09, books will not be included in the packages that NFTT will put together this year. Other organizations are more specialized in the collection and distribution of books to Iraq and Afghanistan. If you are interested in sending books, please consider checking out the Books for Soldiers Website. It is run by DKos's very own StormBearand is a great resource for giving.
Important Note about Successful Online Donations
PLEASE DONATE HERE
When you make your online donation, the screen indicates that you are donating to Netroots Nation. This is the right screen! Rest assured all donations WILL go to NFTT. If you wish, feel free to use the comment area provided to note that your donation is intended for Netroots For The Troops. It isn’t necessary to do this however, as this is the only fundraising activity being conducted for Netroots Nation at this time. For further information about online donations, please read TexDem's diary on the subject.
Update 07/08/09
We have our first deep discount of a product. Our LED pinch-light flashlight. Princeton Tec, through Hit the Trail Wilderness Gear and Nature Goods, a hiking store in Newnan GA, are providing us a discount for the top of the line "Impulse".
If you need hiking gear, please support Robbie Hinley online via, Hit the Trail. Spread the word.