The National
Home is a multi-faceted facility created to care for the developmental, social
and spiritual needs of the children and families of the Veterans of Foreign
Wars. Services are also available for children of active duty military
personnel. Our facility is not an orphanage, but a neighborhood of custom homes,
service buildings and recreational land administered by a highly devoted staff
and fully integrated into its surrounding community.
The VFW
National Home for Children has partnered with the Campbell’s Labels for
Education program to collect labels and UPC’s from eligible Campbell’s company
products. Most recently, the National Home has collected enough labels for a
brand new minivan! This is the second vehicle added to the National Home fleet
with the help of individuals across the nation sending in their donations of
labels. The program is ongoing, and the National Home will continue to benefit
from the label donations by collecting enough labels for educational games,
electronics, toys and other high-quality products courtesy of the Labels for
Education project
VFW National
Home for Children
3573 S. Waverly Road
Eaton Rapids, MI 48827
Phone: 517-663-1521
Fax: 517-663-3727
Toll-Free Information: (800) 424-8360
Toll-Free Referral Information: (800) 851-0238
To Make A Donation: (866) 4VFWNHC
Information Email:
mail@vfwnationalhome.org
Turn
Your Expired Coupons Into Gold
For military families who
relocate overseas, the financial transition can be difficult. Enlisted soldiers
and their families may find stretching their dollars a real challenge, even more
so then those who are based in this country.
One way that we can help is by saving expired or unused coupons and sending them
to select co-op operations around the country. There are several military family
support centers overseas who offer coupon exchanges. The military commissaries
overseas accept manufacturer's cents-off coupons for up to six months past their
printed expiration dates. What a treasure it is to know that our expired coupons
can mean a real difference to the families who have dedicated and sacrificed a
part of their lives for the sake of our country.
There are many ways that one
individual can make a large difference to so many. If you are interested in
participating in the collection of expired coupons to help these families, here
is a small list of ideas that can help get you started.
Post announcements in your company cafeteria or employee lounge and place a
box for the coupons to be kept.
Involve the members of any organization or clubs you may belong to such as
your Senior Citizens Center, Garden Center, Book Club, Women's or Men Groups,
etc., and get them involved in your efforts.
If
you are a teacher, use this as a project for your classes challenging your
students to collect as many as possible. Offer a plaque of achievement to the
class that collects the most.
Solicit your fellow Church or Synagogue members to join in your cause!
What Do
We Have to Do?
You can only imagine the huge
tasks that these organizations have as they go about sorting and bundling the
coupons that are sent in. Since it is everyone's goal to be of help and not a
hindrance, there are guidelines that are suggested for groups or individuals
that are participating in this program. It looks pretty much like what we do
anyway, but on a bigger scale.
- Tips -
Cut and trim the sides of the coupons. This is not only helpful to the
receiving centers, but you do not want to pay postage on dead weight.
Separate the coupons into two major categories - Food (for humans) and
Non-Food (pet food would be non-food). Place them in large sealed freezer bags
and label.
Attach a dollar total of the coupons onto the bag.
Prior to sending your coupons, you may want to touch base with whom you are
sending them to, to make certain that they do not have any other preferences
for you to follow.
Adopt Your Own Military
Base
You may elect to start your own co-op. Often individuals who are interested in
doing this will "adopt" a military base for their co-ops contributions. The
process just takes good organizational skills and a team willing to help.
Location: Alconbury, U.K.
Service Affiliation: U.S. Air Force
Address:
RAF Alconbury
423 ABS/DPF
APO AE 09470
Location: Ansbach, Germany
Service Affiliation: U.S. Army
Address:
CAFAP
ACS - 235th BSB
Unit 28614
APO AE 09177
Location: Atsugi, Japan
Service Affiliation: U.S. Navy
Address: U.S.
Naval Air Facility
Navy FSC
PSC 477 Box 32
FPO AP 96306
Location: Iwakuni, Japan
Service Affiliation: U.S. Marine Corps
Address:
USMC Community Services
ATTN: 5PSVC
PSC 561, Box
1867
FPO AP 96310-1867
Marine Comfort Quilts
Comfort Quilts.
A quilt square of your own making. Our goal is to collect 1,500 squares to
donate to the Marine Comfort Quilt group. This awesome group makes quilts for
the next of kin of all servicemen and women, from ALL branches, who have been
killed in Iraq. This is huge undertaking and they have a great need of quilt
squares. We ask your help in meeting our goal by the end of May. You do not have
to sew or be overly creative. As long as it comes from your heart is all that
matters. I also ask that you pass this email on to any and all who may be
interested. When you mail your squares be sure to include your name and address
so letters of appreciation can be sent out.
Specifics of size, and content of these quilt squares.
*Fabric should be washable.
*Cut each corner of the material on the diagonal so that it won't unravel during
washing.
*Wash fabric in a mild detergent before cutting to the raw size. (If you don't
prewash the material, the message may run after washing and the raw square may
shrink to a less than ideal size).
*Iron, if necessary, before cutting your squares.
Raw (unfinished) size is a square measuring 12.5" X 12.5".
*All decoration or writing must fit inside the finished size of 11" X 11".
TIP: Cut a small "slit" in the material and then "rip it". That ensures that
your edge is straight. This is done running with the grain. The grain is the
straight side of the material.
*SIGN YOUR NAME SOMEWHERE INSIDE THE 11 X 11 ALLOWED DESIGN AREA
There are no hard and fast rules here. Go with your heart. A simple thank you,
favorite or fitting scripture or quote.
How many squares per quilt?
1 embroidered Branch of Service square,
1 "name" square,
28 squares from different sources will go into each quilt,
What should I do for a square?
Write something on the square in your handwriting. Something you are grateful
for that this Marine/soldier did for his/her country. A scripture, a saying you
think is appropriate, a quote from an author you like. There are no hard and
fast rules. Go with your heart.
*Use a sharpie or permanent marker.
*Use embroidery, paint pen or permanent stamps to decorate.
*Permanent heat (iron on) transfers.
*Patches, decals that can withstand washing and drying.
Mail your finished squares to
WMA Motor City
c/o Mary Ann Merritt
Box 590
Romeo, Mi 48065
Make and contribute squares. Donate material for squares.
Sew a pre-assembled quilt kit.
Contribute $$. Please make your checks payable to "Jan
Lang/Marine Comfort Quilts". It costs about $20 per quilt for mailing as the
package must be registered and certified
Please send all monetary and material donations & correspondence to:
Jan Lang
c/o Marine Comfort Quilts
1564 Hanna Rd.
Valley Park, MO 63088
Marine Corps Cookbook
Funds
raised from the sale of this cookbook will be donated to the Women Marines Association
and the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society.
Cookbook cost is $15.00 per book. If you would like it mailed to you please
include $3.00 for postage and handling.
Thank you for your support!
Please make your checks payable to
WMA Motor City
MAIL TO:
WMA Motor City
PO Box 590
Romeo, Mi 48065
Remember to get involved today. There is always something
you can do!
