MISSION: Military appreciation

Honoring our service members and military veterans isn’t just a once-a-year, lip-service kind of thing. Pride and respect run year-round among many truckers, as well as employees of OOIDA. That’s where Truckers For Troops comes in.

In May 2024, the Association launched a spring campaign called Mission: Military Appreciation. Continuing that effort in 2025, the dates for the weeklong event are May 12-18.

During the event, truckers can join or renew their OOIDA membership for $35, with 10% of that money going toward Truckers For Troops, which provides care packages and support to veterans. OOIDA then will match that 10% dollar-for-dollar. The $35 one-year membership is a savings of $10 off the regular $45 yearly dues.

Every dollar raised goes either toward care packages for active service members overseas or to the Veterans Community Project.

When you think of care packages, get that image of a shoe box filled with candy and other goodies out of your head. The Truckers For Troops care packages are a whopping 18-by-16-by-14 inches, packed with enough stuff to serve an entire unit.

And not an inch of that space goes unfilled. To take advantage of every last bit of space, OOIDA employees have been known to use actual peanuts instead of packing peanuts, also throwing in bags so troops can bag up the peanuts for a snack later.

The care packages have contained many requested items, such as hot sauce and condiments to give those MREs some extra taste, socks, feminine hygiene products, games and even dog treats.

OOIDA’s efforts also support the Veterans Community Project. It started in Kansas City, Mo., and has expanded to Sioux Falls, S.D., Longmont, Colo., Glendale, Ariz., St. Louis, Milwaukee and Oklahoma City. It has a goal to expand to every state in the U.S.

VCP is a unique organization serving veterans in need of long-term housing solutions.

It provides tiny homes for these vets as they work to get back on their feet and into conventional housing. And remember those dog treats in the care packages for active service members? Many homeless veterans have a deep bond with a pet, and residents at VCP campuses can bring their pets – whom the organization dubs “battle buddies”– along with them. This is an unusual arrangement in that most similar shelters and services don’t allow animals.

In addition to providing housing and addressing day-to-day living challenges, VCP also hosts outreach and commissary days that offer food and other assistance for veterans not in its program.

Over the past 18 years, OOIDA’s Truckers For Troops campaign has raised more than $800,000 for military care packages and the VCP.

“We’ve enjoyed visiting the various VCP Villages and Community Centers, seeing in person the great work they do, and look forward to going to more locations as they grow throughout the U.S. We also know that the care packages we provide are top-notch and appreciated by recipients,” said Norita Taylor, OOIDA’s director of public relations.

It’s important to note that 100% of donations given during both Truckers For Troops campaigns goes toward care packages and the VCP. All of the packing, mailing, etc. is done by volunteers at OOIDA to stretch every dollar raised to the max.

To participate, simply call OOIDA at 816-229-5791 between May 12 and the start of business May 18. Truckers can also participate by visiting OOIDA.com to join or renew a membership during that timeframe.

Family or friends of U.S. military members can send addresses for care packages to Troops@OOIDA.com. LL