Giving Back
Supporting our Troops and Their Families
As any who follow our social media or know us personally may know Jodie's son is deployed in the sandbox with the Army Reserves 994th Engineer Vertical Construction Company, part of the 244th Engineer Battalion.
We have recently coordinated with the Soldier Family Readiness Group (SFRG) at the Reserve base here in Denver to allow us to help collect goods and raise funds to support the soldiers and their families left behind. We have set up a drop location in our office for goods to include in care packages for the soldiers deployed as well as collecting non-perishable and pantry items for the families left behind.
Below this section is a wish-list gathered by the SFRG of items to send to the troops deployed if you'd like to donate items.
Here is an excerpt from their letter:
"The Soldier and Family Readiness Group (SFRG), formerly known as the Family Readiness Group (FRG) is a unit’s commander’s program, comprised of Soldiers, civilian employees, Family Members (immediate and extension), and volunteers belonging to a unit. It forms a network of mutual support and assistance and assists unit commanders in meeting military and personal deployment preparedness and enhances Soldier and Family readiness.
The 244th is an Army Reserve battalion headquartered in Denver, consisting of over 850 soldiers in 10 units across Colorado, Kansas and New Mexico. The battalion has a distinguished lineage of decorated service in World War II, Iraq, Panama, and Kuwait. Its capabilities include combat engineering, military construction, route clearance and firefighting. Recently, its’ 994th Vertical Construction Company deployed to the Middle East, leaving Family Members scattered over at least a dozen states.
As a Reserve Unit and Soldier and Family Readiness Group, we rely solely on contributions and donations from the community to help Soldiers and their Families “effectively navigate the challenges of daily living experienced in the unique context of military service.” On 01 April 2019, the Secretary of the Army stated, “SFRGs may not engage in external fundraising with commercial or private entities and may not solicit gifts and donations. However, in accordance with reference 1e and with the advice of an ethics counselor, commanders may, in response to an appropriate inquiry, inform potential donors of the needs of the Army in relation to assisting Army Families.” The SFRG is not a 501 organization. However, we are federal and state tax exempt as a part of the Department of the Army.
One of our greatest expenses has been to provide family days twice a year for our Soldiers and their Families. In fact, that holiday party mentioned earlier was one of these and I am still short $2500 in those expenses. The next scheduled event will be sometime this summer and I expect it to run about $2000. Unfortunately, there is a more serious side to the SFRG and that is assisting Soldiers and their family members in times of crisis. Although the Army does have programs in place to help, those can often take weeks, if not months, to process, especially for Reservists. When Soldiers find themselves suddenly without food, shelter, vehicles, or needing emergency services, the SFRG is often their last lifeline. Over the last 20 years, it is not uncommon for our group to provide at least $10,000 annually to aid in these serious situations."
Direct Contributions to the SFRG can be made to:
244th EN BN FAMILY READINESSS GROUP
8417 S ZEPHYR ST
LITTLETON, CO 80128
Tax Deductible Contributions can be made to:
American Legion Auxiliary at Post 1
Attn: Georgia Sweeney
5400 E. Yale Ave.
Denver, CO 80222
Please include note to go to the 244th
The 244th Engineer Battalion Soldier and Family Readiness Group Thanks You in advance for your Support of the 994 Engineering Vertical Construction Company while they are overseas.
Care Package Items Requested
First off, the rules
Female Specific Requests
First off, the rules
- No Alcohol, marijuana (includes CBD oil), or Pornography products
- Tobacco/vaping products may be sent however they might not arrive due to postal rules and laws about shipping those items through USPS, overseas military is supposed to be exempted but that isn’t well known inside the post offices.
- Devotional Items (bibles, Prayer Books, ect..) would be sent separately with special marking/recipients due to rules about/against proselytizing
- Items not specifically listed are welcome so long as they don’t violate the Army's Rules of NO Alcohol, Drugs or Pornography)
Food/Snacks
Female Specific Requests
First off, the rules
- Candy (avoid Chocolate/Gummy)
- Girl Scout Cookies
- Nutella/Ritz
- Individual Cracker Packs
- Tea (Cold/Hot) Packets/Bags
- Coffee/Hot Chocolate (individual sized)
- Water Drops/Flavoring (Mio/Crystal Light)
- Gatorade Packets
- Individual Soups/Pastas
- Ramen Noodle Packets
- Seeds/Nuts (Sunflowers Seed Especially)
- Jerky
- Dehydrated Fruits/Vegetables
- Cookies (Chips Ahoy/Oreo)
- Chips (individual sized)
- Homemade Cookies (must be Vacuum Sealed)
- Oatmeal Packets
- Flaming Hot Cheetos/Doritos
- Microwave Popcorn
- Ghost Peppers/ Carolina Reaper Peppers/Jalapeno Peppers (no glass jars)
Female Specific Requests
Female Specific Requests
Female Specific Requests
- Baby Wipes (unscented)
- Chapstick/Lip Balm
- Q-Tips
- Facewash
- Chaff be Gone
- Lotions (unscented, midly scented)
- Razors (No Disposable/Single Use)
- Dove Sensitive Skin Body Wash
- Honey Pot Coochie Wash (Blue)
- Panty Liners - Thin
- Eco Hair Gel
- OMV Wipes/Vagisil
- Vitamin E Oil
- Dr. Teals Body Wash
- Deodorant (midly scented)
- Secret Deodorant Powder
- Boric Acid Suppositories
- Shampoos
General Personal Hygiene
General Personal Hygiene
Female Specific Requests
- Q-Tips
- Chapsticks
- Suncreen (SPF 30+)
- Toothpaste/Toothbrushes
- Foot/Body Powder
- Lotions (unscented/No CBD)
- Baby Powder
- Baby Wipes (unscented)
- Eyedrops/Visine
- Moisturizer
Male Specific Requests
General Personal Hygiene
Male Specific Requests
- Shampoos
- Soap/Bodywash
- Facewash
- Moisturizers
- Razors (No Disposable/Single Use Type)
- Deodorant
Miscellaneous
General Personal Hygiene
Male Specific Requests
- Magazines (no pornography)
- Playing Cards/Card Games
- Board Games (travel sized)
- Batteries (AA/AAA)
- Socks (White/Black no logos)
- Pens/Paper/Envelopes (stamps not needed)
- Suduko/Crossword Puzzle Books
- Letters/Drawings (especially from Kids)
Questions for the SFRG?
Questions for the SFRG?
Questions for the SFRG?
Jason Bouldin vkorval@gmail.com Laura Wetendorf lwetendorf@hotmail.com
Pantry Items for Families Left Behind
Families Left Behind
For some, it's incredibly challenging to hold down the household when a loved one is deployed. Money is tight and it can be challenging to keep the kids fed and diapered. There is a "food pantry" located at the base that we are also collecting donations for in our office:
Food & Family Pantry
- Non-perishable foods (canned or boxed)
- Diapers
- Baby Wipes
- Formula