IHMVCU and USO of Illinois Join Forces to Care for Deployed Service Members

While residents of the Quad Cities area have long received USO “Sweet Home Chicago” Care Packages while deployed, the USO of Illinois held a care package stuffing event for the first time in the Quad Cities. Jennifer Long, USO of Illinois Development Director, and Jackie Inman, USO Rock Island Center Director, worked alongside employees of the International Harvester Mississippi Valley Credit Union (IHMVCU) to create care packages for service members stationed overseas.

IHMVCU employees collected supplies from community members and then volunteered their time to create 100 care packages. Items in USO “Sweet Home Chicago Care Packages” are requested by military members and are hard to find while serving overseas, and include snacks, coffee, tea, gum, batteries, movies, books and toiletries.

Chris Miller, USO of Illinois Director of Center Operations and Volunteer Services, is a veteran of overseas conflicts and mentioned how grateful he was to receive care packages while deployed. “There are people back in the United States that do care about you,” he said, “and they show their support and love by sending these care packages with items from home that are not available during your deployment. So, it was really special every time I got one.”

IHMVCU Marketing Manager Jenna Smith, oversaw the project and wanted to make sure deployed service members know that people in communities’ back home are thinking about them. “This is just one way we can fill the gap locally, by supporting active military and their families,” said Smith. “We want to show them our support.”

USO of Illinois salutes IHMVCU for their dedication to serving the military community.