A Veteran

[Bunkeremail]

Hello neighbors! My dad wrote this email last night, and I promised him I would send it up the chain of command.

He is a Marine Corp Veteran and this is what he penned yesterday after he helped up the VA food pantry. It’s not the shortest email, but I feel it’s worth the read if you have 2 minutes.

You will know what I’m talking about when you get done reading what he wrote, and for what it’s worth, I will be taking collected items to the VA in Salt Lake next week.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Thanks!

Dan
801-631-0387



From: A Veteran

To: You

It is truly unfortunate that so many of our Local Veterans find themselves in a position where they need Food Assistance.

I am a Veteran myself. I have been very fortunate in my life, due in large part to my time in the Service. The skills and disciplines I learned then have helped me to the point that I personally do not need any help. Many do.

Along with a group of other wonderful veteran men and women I volunteer each week helping with the transportation needs of our veterans and also helping one day a week in the Veterans Food Pantry located on the campus of the Veterans Hospital in Salt Lake City. The Food Pantry is supported by local church organizations and some help from the Utah Food Bank, other organizations when they can and concerned citizens like yourself. The Veterans Administration provides the space and the supervisory help for the Pantry. It is heartbreaking for me to see the number of veterans of all ages that come by the pantry to help with their food requirements. Today was my day to help. About 25 Veterans stopped by today. We have several small stations where the veterans can choose from a limited assortment of either canned goods, boxed foods or when available fresh vegetables and very limited frozen meats. Today, because stocks are low we were limited to giving out 4 cans of food, a couple boxes of cereal or pasta, one fresh vegetable and one frozen item. The Food Pantry is not intended to be the primary source of food for these veterans, but a supplement for those who meet the minimum income requirements. You can imagine how difficult it is to tell a Veteran who is obviously in need that they can only take the few items that we can allow. We explain that we need to make what we have stretch until we get resupplied. I have yet to meet a veteran who did not understand or who tried to take more that we could offer. In many cases when there is Milk, eggs or cheese available they will say "give it to someone with a family or who needs it more"

The purpose of this note is to inform you that this service is available to our Veterans in need, and to ask for your assistance in meeting that need. Please consider donating any food items that you can to our Veteran Food Pantry. We can only give our Veterans "In Date" and non damaged items. In addition to any personal donation that you can help with, I ask that you forward this note to any and all individuals or organizations that may be able to help. If so, maybe, just maybe some of them will respond and MAYBE, JUST MAYBE some of our Veterans will get some additional nourishment that they need.

Any food items that are within date and undamaged may be dropped off at the Veterans Hospital located at 500 Foothill Blvd SLC, Building 5 at the receiving dock on the west side. Open the door and ask for assistance.

The freedoms we enjoy today were paid for by the men and women who served in our Armed Forces. Please do all you can to see that those who served us then and are in need now get the nourishment that they require.

Good Bless You, And may God continue to Bless the United States of America!

A Veteran.