Looking for ways your employee, student, or community group can support our troops via USO Alaska? Check out these ideas:
- Volunteer. Individuals 18 or older with reliable transportation may volunteer at a USO Center or for select USO events. Submit your volunteer interest form at www.volunteer.uso.org. Group volunteer projects must be coordinated through USO Alaska at least one month in advance, so that we may create the right volunteer project for your team and assist with military base access as needed. Please submit a group volunteer request to usoalaska@uso.org, with “Group Volunteer Request” as the subject line.
- Donation drive. For many troops and military family members, USO Centers are the last stop before heading back on overseas duty, on deployment, to training, or to boot camp. They greatly appreciate the complimentary snacks and travel hygiene items provided in the Centers. Encourage your community group to host a drive to collect individually-sized, microwave-ready snacks or travel-sized toiletry items. Donations of Costco or Fred Meyers gift cards are also greatly appreciated. See our donation wish list for ideas: uso.org/Alaska/Donation-Wish-List
- Community fundraiser. Donate the proceeds from a garage sale, book sale, lemonade stand, congregational pass-the-plate effort, or office coin collection to USO Alaska. Build organizational cohesion by pitting groups against one another in support of our troops!
- Donate via CFC or your company’s employee matching program. The USO is registered in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC #11381).
- Host a USO Speaker. The USO Alaska has staff and experienced volunteers who want to speak to your corporate or community group about USO Alaska. Simply submit a speaker request to usoalaska@uso.org, with “USO Alaska Speaker Request” in the subject line.
Tip for success: Select meaningful dates on which to conduct donation drives, such as Memorial Day, Flag Day, July 4th, 9/11, Veterans Day, or the birthdays of the five military services.
Please note: USO Alaska does not build nor ship care packages or greeting cards to troops serving overseas. However, we encourage groups interested in this activity to consider mailing (at your expense) care packages to overseas USO Centers where they can then be shared with the troops. USO Center locations can be found here: List of USO center locations. Please email the point of contact listed for your selected location for mail instructions.