Past Projects

In our brief history, we have spearheaded several community initiatives to support our local military population. Media outlets such as the New York Times and Time Magazine have highlighted Fayetteville Cares’ programs. Our successes include:

2011

• Boots & Booties, The World’s Largest Military Baby Shower was held on June 25, 2011.  This was the second time this event was hosted and provided a community shower including food, entertainment and gifts to over 1,000 moms and moms to be.  Shower was open to pregnant and recently delivered active duty and dependents assigned to Ft. Bragg and Pope Field as well as National Guard and Reserve units attached to either installation.   A Chevrolet Cruz, donated by local car dealers, was given to one lucky mom.
• Facilitated the donation of 25 tickets to the American Girl Fashion Show from the Child Advocacy Center to military families. (March)
• Basics for Barracks Program: 500 single soldiers to date for this year
• Sent 300 care packages in March
• Assisted with coordination of William Christopher’s (M*A*S*H’s Father Mulkahey) visit with wounded warriors at Womack Army Medical Center (March)
• Boots and Booties 2011 – June 25, 2011 –  Baby Shower for 1,000 military moms to be held at the Crown Expo Center.
• Field of Honor – May 14, 2011 – Dedication ceremony committee and beneficiary of some proceeds from the event
• Fayetteville Wine Society Fundraiser – October 8, 2011 – Planning committee and beneficiary of proceeds from the event.
• Military Support Symposium – planned for Fall 2011 – event to bring together all military support organizations and agencies in the area for a day of information, networking, planning and coordination.  Receive brief on unmet needs of our military neighbors.  Produce a virtual resource guide for military and community support.
• Received $2,000 grant from The Bragg N Barn for Boots and Booties 2011.

2010

• Assisted Child Advocacy Center to donate 35 tickets to their American Girl Fashion Show to military mothers and daughters
• Sponsored Spring Wounded Warrior Unit Family Picnic
• Sent care packages to deployed soldiers
• BOSS – Sponsored bus to transport single soldiers to Kid Rock concert in SC
• Field of Honor – sponsor, dedication ceremony committee and beneficiary of some proceeds from the event
• Established Basics for Barracks committee.  Provided snack items for the barracks for over 6.800 single soldiers in 2010.
• Sponsored  the Air Force Ball to be held Sept 2010
• Provided volunteers for Red Cross assistance at Green Ramp during Haiti relieve deployment
• Provided volunteers for Families United, first Camp Desert Kids held in June 2010.
• Committee working on “safe provider” list of service providers for Special Forces Gold Star Families
• Received a $2,500 Grant from ASMBA Star Foundation for Basics for Barracks program

2009

• Single Solider Redeployment support continued with assistance given to several units with single soldiers returning to empty barracks.
• Coordinated sponsorship of 54 soldiers ($75 each) to attend dinners being hosted in homes throughout the community in support of a nonprofit.
• Sponsored two family picnics for the Warrior Transition Unit
• Sponsored a family picnic for a unit preparing to deploy
• Assisted the Cause Library with volunteers for the new digital library opened in Moon Hall for wounded soldiers
• Assisted several local organizations with donated ticket distributions for entertainment events.
• Attained 501(c)3 status
• Beneficiary of the Fayetteville Cares Ironman Team Fundraising, approximately $25,000
• Operation Holiday Cheer – coordinated the effort to send 10,000 packages to deployed service members from Ft. Bragg and Pope AFB.  Over 600 volunteers packed the boxes over four days in November.  The project represented over $500,000 in donated cash, products and in-kind including 2 cars given away.  Two banners signed by the volunteers were sent to Iraq and Afghanistan.

2008

• Care packages were sent to deployed Ft. Bragg and Pope AFB soldiers and airmen
• Single Soldier Redeployment support for an XVIII Airborne Corp unit returning from 15 months in Iraq on December 22, 2008
• Coordinated sponsorship of 59 soldiers ($75 each) to attend dinners being hosted in homes throughout the community in support of a nonprofit.
• Worked with a local cell phone provider to provide several cell phones at “green ramp” when the soldiers return.  This allows soldiers without family members there to greet them, to call their loved ones.
• Worked with a local car dealer to donate 2 vans to the Wounded Warrior Battalion at Ft. Bragg
• Boots & Booties, The World’s Largest Military Baby Shower was held on November 15, 2008.  This event provided a community shower including food, entertainment and gifts to over 1,000 moms and moms to be.  Shower was open to pregnant and recently delivered active duty and dependents assigned to Ft. Bragg and Pope AFB.   A Chevrolet Malibu, donated by local car dealers, was given to one lucky mom.
• Recognized by Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States, for our work with military families.
• Recognized by General George R. Casey, Chief of Staff of the US Army, for our work with military families.