Soldiers' Angels

Grand Prize: $1,200                                                                 622 Votes

What is the mission of Soldiers' Angels and when was it founded?

From its very inception in 2003, the focus of Soldiers' Angels has been: Helping to bring home healthy soldiers.

Tell us three things we probably don't know about Soldiers' Angels.

1. We give laptops to wounded soldiers in our Valour IT program. We are the leading organization in the nation for lap top donations.
2. Our founder is the great-niece of General Patton.

3. We have an outreach program in Landstuhl, Germany at the Army Medical Hospital for immediate out reach to our wounded heros.

What has been the the biggest factor in the success of Soldiers' Angels?

America was looking for a leader to step forward in the outreach to our deployed service members. So many people want to help and we give them the venue to get involved to whatever capacity that they choose to.

Share one or two stories about people Soldiers' Angels has helped.

Our July and May newsletters have several stories. Please take a look.

• July

• May

How will Soldiers' Angels use the donation from Charity for Charities?

We will put it towards our most urgent needs- which happens to be our wounded service member back packs- we can purchase and send 250 more thanks to this great donation. To date we have sent over 5000 wounded service members packs.

Anything else you'd like to add?

We want to thank the AllMilitary supporters for voting for us!

Soldiers' Angels is an all volunteer, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded by Patti Patton-Bader, mother of Sgt. Brandon Varn, who recently returned home from a years deployment to Iraq. Soldiers' Angels is a national organization with members in all fifty states and Puerto Rico, and several friendly countries who support our brave men and women in uniform as they carry out their mission. Soldiers' Angels was was incorporated in the state of Nevada in June of 2003. Soldiers' Angels mission is to provide aide and comfort to the men and women of the United States Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force and the Coast Guard and their amazing families. The slogan describes the motivation behind Soldiers' Angels. By working together and sharing a common vision of service, the volunteers of Soldiers' Angels send care to deployed soldiers and their loved ones at home.

To date our volunteers have sent tens of thousands of care packages and hundreds of thousands of letters to our deployed heroes; we have helped those who have been wounded with our First Response Packs directly at the Combat and Support Hospitals (CASH) and at the major hospital in Germany, as well as providing care and comfort to those who are now in our military hospitals here at home; we have provided aid to military families in need; we have provided flights to soldiers on leave or in emergency situations and to their families to be with their loved ones upon return from Iraq and Afghanistan; we have provided level III KEVLAR Armor blankets to provide our heroes with some protection in their vehicles when it was needed; we help to honor the families whose loved ones have paid the ultimate price for our freedom and safety. This and much, much more has been accomplished by the many volunteers of this organization with the assistance of our generous supporters on behalf of the grateful citizens of the United States of America.

Comments By

Shelle Michaels
Public Relations Director
Soldiers' Angels

Books for Soldiers

Second Place: $700                                                                 600 Votes

What is the mission of Books for Soldiers and how was
it founded?

I started sending books to deployed soldiers during Desert Storm and then my goal was to keep the morale up of all my friends who deployed to the Gulf. The mission of Books For Soldiers when it "officially" began was to give deployed soldiers a book to read or a DVD for a squad to watch and some baked cookies wouldn't hurt—essentially increase troop morale and let the troops know, we back home actually do care about their well being.

Tell us three things we probably don't know about Books for Soldiers.

1. BFS is designed to function so as to develop long-term relationships between BFS users and the troops that use the service. We are much more than a database.
2. BFS volunteers and soldiers stationed at the Baghdad Airport built what was probably the largest English language library in the Middle East. In 2004, we shipped all sorts of books to the airport and troops there found rooms to store the books. When soldiers came into Baghdad to resupply they hit the library to grab some books, DVDs and video games.

3. I originally thought this project would be a short-term project. I had the idea the war would only last six weeks tops! Lesson? Never ask me for advice!

What has been the biggest factor in the success of Books for Soldiers?

Our volunteers. Period.

Share one or two stories about people Books for Soldiers has helped.

I don't want to give individual details, but I will say there are two things BFS has done to help people.

1. Continuing Adult Education—Many soldiers use BFS to acquire college textbooks and various certification manuals. I really do admire these soldier's ability to do their duty and find time for college education. How they do it I do not not, but it sure is impressive.

2. Friendship—We have made a lot of friends over the years but we have come to know some soldiers who had no none back home that would write them, call them or sometimes there was no one back home that even cared about them. The single act of sending a care package and writing a letter to someone who feels alone in the situation of war can be priceless to them. BFS is about a lot more than books, it is about our neighbors at war. We have had a positive impact on many soldiers who were in need of a friend.

Letters of gratitude from four servicemebers who received care packages from Books for Soldiers.

• Letter One
• Letter Two 
• Letter Three

• Letter Four

How will Books for Soldiers use the donation from Charity for Charities?

It will be used in a combination of server fees, postage and care package purchases.

Anything else you'd like to add?

This is the smartest marketing campaign for a website I have seen in some time. It was really smart. I run an ad agency as my day job and I always appreciate a smart and well-executed idea.

Comments By

Storm Williams
Founder / Executive Director
Books for Soldiers

America's Wounded Heroes

Third Place: $400                                                                     457 Votes

What is the mission of America's Wounded Heroes?

America's Wounded Heroes exists to: 

• Provide financial assistance to military personnel, policemen, firefighters, and EMTs wounded in service who have put their lives at risk to protect and serve American citizens.
• Enable such persons to obtain relief in the area of special adaptive mobility equipment such as motorized wheelchairs, golf carts, Segways, and other mobility devices not provided for by the government and private insurance.

• Give such persons monetary grants for the transition from hospitals or rehabilitation facilities back to active service or back to civilian life. 

The charity was founded by Cpl Joshua Sparling and his father Mike Sparling in response to the needs they have seen in the nearly 2 years they've spent at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Joshua was severely injured in Ramadi in November 2005 and along with his father has done his best to care for and assist his fellow wounded warriors.

Tell us three things we probably donʼt know about America's Wounded Heroes.

1. We will assist more than just military. Our mission is to help all those who put their lives on the line to protect and serve US citizens.
2. There is up to a six month delay in the start of disability payments once a patient is med boarded out or is returned to duty. Most veterans will need help during this period to make ends meet. We aim to provide assistance during this period.

3. The VA won't pay for powered wheelchairs, only manual. Many wounded or disabled vets can't be independently mobile without a power assist and must rely on others to help them.

What has been the biggest factor in the success of America's Wounded Heroes?

Our volunteers are all dedicated to supporting our all volunteer Military and First Responders.

Share one or two stories about people your charity has helped.

1. Mike bought VISA cards ($20) for gas money to get to events or home on leave which were handed out to soldiers by Sgt Cannon.

2. SPC Chuck Ford got a grant to help him get back to his Duty station. Ft. Lewis, WA.

How will America's Wounded Heroes use the donation from Charity for Charities?

We'll use the donation to continue supporting the transportation and transition needs of our heroes.

Comments By

Lynn Fullerton
Secretary / Assistant Treasurer
America's Wounded Heroes

AdoptaPlatoon

Fourth Place: $400                                                                   422 Votes

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