Tag: volunteers

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Andrew Dick of Fi360 (now Broadridge) Volunteering with American Veterans Mission in Killeen, Texas

The American Veterans Mission wants to thank Andrew Dick of Fi360 (now Broadridge) for volunteering with us at Texas A&M University-Central Texa on July 20, 2024. Andrew’s company, Fi360 (now Broadridge), was one of the generous donors that ensured Operation Homefront’s Back-to-School Brigade® (BTSB) event was a success in the Killeen and Fort Cavazos area last month.

AVM’s chief executive officer, Anthony Martinez, met Andrew in Austin, Texas, on May 19, 2024. During their initial meeting, Anthony and Andrew briefly discussed the importance of volunteerism, community service, and social responsibility, especially in military communities. Andrew and his wife, Susan, drove from Austin to Killeen on July 20, 2024, to volunteer with us in distributing the school supplies kits and pencil pouches that his company donated to 220 military families through the Operation Homefront BTSB program. Last month, it was a pleasure to welcome Andrew and Susan to our small town of Killeen, Texas.

Thanks, Andrew and Susan, for volunteering with us, and thanks, Fi360 (now Broadridge), for supporting programs and operations that benefit the local military families of the Killeen and Fort Cavazos area. Together, everyone achieves more!

Photo Credit: Lightdance Photography of Killeen, Texas

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Impactful Volunteerism: GSCTX Troops 20301 and 6300 Serve Fort Cavazos Military Children

The American Veterans Mission wants to thank the Girl Scouts of Central Texas (GSCTX) Troops 20301 and 6300 for a job well done. These troops are under the stewardship of Janie Freed, who has been an avid supporter of numerous volunteer programs and events in the central Texas area.

On July 20, 2024, members of Girls Scouts Troops 20301 and 6300 volunteered to serve local military families during Operation Homefront’s Back-to-School School Brigade®(BTSB) program by helping distribute 220 backpacks filled with essential school supplies to Fort Cavazos military children and clients at Texas A&M University-Central Texas. Troop members’ parents, siblings, and relatives accompanied their Girl Scouts, making them the leading volunteer unit at the event. These troopers also served freshly cooked popcorn to the military children and families and a temporary tattoo station at the event for the kids to enjoy!

Through volunteerism and community service, the  Girl Scouts of Central Texas create the world they want to live in and strive to improve it daily. They explore their strengths, take on new challenges, and can always be themselves, regardless of background or ability. Thank you, GSCTX, for your continued support of our local communities. Together, everyone achieves more!

Photo Credit: Lightdance Photography of Killeen, Texas

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Killeen H-E-B Volunteers Support Operation Homefront’s Back-to-School Brigade® Program

National nonprofit organization Operation Homefront (OH) distributed 220 backpacks filled with essential school supplies to Fort Cavazos military children and clients in our town on Saturday, July 20, 2024, as part of their 17th annual Back-to-School Brigade®(BTSB) program. More than seven dozen volunteers showed up to enthusiastically serve our local military families in the Killeen/Fort Cavazos area.

Volunteering with the Killeen H-E-B team at this event was a pleasure! Through H-E-B’s Operation Appreciation program, the team donated teacher’s kits to 220 military families and clients in the Killeen/Fort Cavazos area, adding valuable tangible resources to OH’s Back-to-School Brigade® program.

Thank you, Killeen H-E-B volunteers, for serving our local military families with us on July 20, 2024, at Texas A&M University-Central Texas. Together, everyone achieves more!

Photo Credit: Lightdance Photography of Killeen, Texas

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Refurbished Laptops for Qualified Student Veterans and Their Households

Today (Nov. 8, 2023) is the day when we provide refurbished laptops for veteran students or their households. Please look for the American Veterans Mission‘s table at the Texas A&M University-Central Texas Warrior Hall between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM CST.

This program was made possible by Taskforce Uplift, Kohl’s, American Veterans Mission, and the Ted and Diane Connel Military Veterans Service Center for Veterans Day 2023.

Operation Techas Crew and Partners
Operation Techas Crew and Partners, Austin, TX, October 31, 2023

Photo Credit: Mr. Steve Cundy of Taskforce Uplift
Special thanks to Heidi Hurda, SPHR, and Brennan Avants.

Together, everyone achieves more!

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MLK Day of Service 2023

MLK Day of Service 2023 Banner

The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service is a defining moment each year when Americans across the country step up to make communities more equitable and take action to create the Beloved Community of Dr. King’s dream. While Dr. King believed the Beloved Community was possible, he acknowledged and fought for systemic change. His example is our call to action. 

MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities. During the last quarter century, the MLK Day of Service has grown, and its impact increased as more Americans embraced the idea that citizenship involves taking an active role in improving communities. 

On Monday, January 16, and the days surrounding, American Veterans Mission, AmeriCorps, and the Killeen Service Platoon invite you to: 

  • Engage with your community and create constructive action; 
  • Act on Dr. King’s legacy of social justice and equity; and 
  • Recommit by volunteering to serve others. You can clean up a public space, mentor a young person, or help those who are food insecure. 

We cordially invite you to volunteer with us locally by signing up for our volunteer opportunity scheduled on January 16, 2023, at Carl Levin Park. Please click this link to view and sign up for this volunteer or community service opportunity.

Together, we can strengthen ties to our communities and one another while we address critical issues that divide us. 

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Congressional Veterans Commendation

The American Veterans Mission‘s team of teams wants to congratulate Richard J. Archer and Ken Cates for receiving a Congressional Veterans Commendation from Senator John Carter on 10/09/2021 at Texas A&M University-Central Texas!

The Congressional Veterans Commendation is a nominations-based program designed to recognize the wartime sacrifices and peacetime community involvement of residents of the 31st Congressional District of Texas.

Mr. Archer and Mr. Cates continue to serve our communities even after retiring from the U.S. Army. These gentlemen, along with the other congressional veterans award recipients, strive to help others in need and promote altruism, volunteerism, and community service wherever they go. Well done, and congratulations once again!

Congressional Veterans Commendation award recipients on October 9, 2021. All Rights Reserved.
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Spotlight on Our Volunteer Force

TMC and AVM Volunteers

On Saturday, August 1, 2020, the Killeen Platoon partnered with Keep Copperas Cove Beautiful (KCCB) and the American Veterans Mission (AVM) in beautifying and painting a total of 30 picnic tables and two park benches at the Copperas Cove Parks & Recreation located at 1206 W Avenue B in Copperas Cove from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM, central standard time.
 
The event garnered over 50 volunteers, broken down into groups or sections, to comply with Texas’ and partner organizations’ social distancing and mass gathering guidelines.
 
Members of the volunteer force also constituted members of the Keep Copperas Cove Beautiful (KCCB) committee, American Veterans Mission (AVM), Justserve.org, Missionary.org, and local residents.

When the Richard E. Cavazos Elementary School’s Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO)’s president, Ms. Bonita Henderson, heard about all the good things the Killeen Platoon was doing in our local communities, she reached out for our assistance to build a garden that would accommodate children with disabilities while providing fresh fruits and vegetables to those in need.

Phase 1 of the project Cavazos Elementary School

The Killeen Platoon and American Veterans Mission (AVM) answered the call and planned a series of events to clear a plot for a school garden and to build some fruit and vegetable planters for the school kids. Cavazos PTO president, Bonita Henderson, and Killeen Platoon leader & AVM’s president, Tony Martinez, planned the event in five phases: (1) site preparation & cleanup, (2) constructing the planters, (3) planting fruits & vegetables in the planters, (4) beautification & maintenance, and (5) harvest.  The platoon was flexible enough to continually refine their plans as they went through each phase to comply with the state and local directives for social distancing and mass gatherings in the city of Nolanville.

ADA-compliant PlantersSince children with disabilities requiring special accommodations would utilize the school garden, and per the request of the PTO’s president, the volunteers built the planters to abide by the rules established by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  The planters, therefore, are ADA-compliant so that children with disabilities, particularly those who are wheelchair-bound, could participate in other stages of the project.

“By building this garden for the school children and inviting them to till the garden, we are doing our part of engaging and involving our young community members in a positive civic activity that would benefit them in the long term.  We are also showing these children the value of diversity and inclusion as we heartily invite children with physical and learning disabilities to participate in the project.”

– Tony Martinez, Killeen Platoon leader & AVM president

Martinez also stated that, “Through this service project with Richard E. Cavazos Elementary School’s PTO, our platoon can serve as an authentic example to the public that we work together and with one another to protect the environment, provide for the longevity of our food supplies, and maintain ecological support systems for future generations.” Together, everyone achieves more!

Volunteer Force

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