2019 Veterans Wish List Drive Results

This year, JetCo Solutions, along with several other West Michigan organizations, collected needed items for the residents of the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans. The drive ran from September 27 to November 10 and individuals were asked to donate body wash, toothbrushes, tissues, mouthwash, and more to benefit Veterans in the region. The items were then dropped off at the Home to honor Veterans Day.

From the drop-off locations to individual donors, the support we received for this initiative was overwhelming. We’re proud to announce the results of this drive and want to thank everyone who contributed. But, before we get to the results, we want to provide some background information on why we hosted this drive.

The suicide rate for enlisted soldiers and the unemployment and homelessness rates for Veterans are high. Too high. According to a 2018 article by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, over 40,056 Veterans of the U.S. Military are experiencing homelessness in America. Veterans often have a hard time adjusting to civilian life and many people can’t empathize with what these soldiers went through.

That’s where the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans comes in to assist. The Home was established is 1885 and provides a variety of services to enhance residents’ quality of life, including an in-house pharmacy, rehabilitation therapy, and recreational and educational activities.

Tiffany Carr, the Director of Member and Community Relations at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans, said, “Enhancing the lives of our Veterans is our mission… A member-centered, therapeutic and leisure-focused program can decrease depression, anxiety, and behaviors.”

Though many of us cannot fathom what some Veterans have gone through, the least we can do is donate to make their quality of life better. As a veteran-owned small business, we jumped at the chance of helping Veterans in our community, and we’re thankful for all the other individuals and companies who did too. The results of the 2019 Veterans Wish List Drive are as follows.

The Results

  • 19 boxes full of donations, weighing in at just over 3,200 pounds
  • 11 participating drop-off locations
  • 23 empty boxes distributed to the drop-off locations
  • 110+ flyers distributed around the community
  • 60+ posters hung at the drop-off locations and around the community

If you or your company would like to participate in next year’s Veterans Wish List Drive, please email Vanessa Lansdale at vlansdale@jetcosolutions.com with “2020 Veterans Wish List Drive” in the subject line. In the body of the email, please include your name, email, and company name (if applicable.)

About the Author