Truckers for Troops presents veterans group with $15,000 donation

On Dec. 7, OOIDA presented the Veterans Community Project in Kansas City, Mo., with a check for $15,000 from this year’s Truckers for Troops fundraiser.

“It was steady this year, and straight donations were very heartfelt and thankful,” Sylvia Dodson with Truckers for Troops said. “Our members, as always, had a lot of fun giving their votes to their favorite military branch.”

This was the fourth year since Truckers for Troops began that an in-person monetary donation was made. The presentation also included a truckload of household supplies that are sorely needed by those living in the Veterans Community Project community.

“It’s enabled us to expand some services that we offer,” Chris Admire, executive director of VCP-Kansas City, said. “We’ve actually started a commissary day. We’ve got a new area where any veteran can walk in and get food for two or three weeks, or even a month. Every month we have families come in and tell us this is critical for us to make ends meet. Just having a few families seek me out every month to tell me ‘thank you,’ it means a lot.”

With ongoing support, Admire said he anticipates expansion to continue.

“Our navigation campus will be where other veteran-serving agencies and organizations can have office space, which is a tough thing to come across now,” Admire said. “People don’t want to get a whole building to have to do that, they’re looking at micro office spaces. That’s something we’re going to be able to offer in the next couple of years.”

But, it could not be done without donations like what Truckers for Troops delivers annually, Admire said.

“When the co-founders named this organization, community was a critical component of it,” Admire said. “That required partnerships not only for the first couple of years but to stay when we’re delivering services, which is what we’re doing now in Kansas City. This is what OOIDA is helping us do, deliver the services. It’s pretty awesome to have this relationship.”

Truckers for Troops accepts donations year-round. To be part of the effort or learn more about the program, visit the Truckers for Troops website.  LL