Haulin' for Heroes
Supporting the men and women who became soldiers and protected the United States is a cause that all Americans can get behind, and one way to do that is through a special donation drive that will collect items such as clothing, reading glasses and other personal items for these U.S. heroes.
The Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Association (MDCD) as part of its commitment to serving the Metro Detroit area with a variety of charitable initiatives recently launched a new Haulin’ for Heroes collection program. This program will support veterans at the Veteran Administration (VA) hospital in Detroit (John D. Dingell VA Medical Center) and Ann Arbor (VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System).
The collection drive organized by the MDCD is scheduled to run from Sept. 1-30 at all 38 Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Association locations across Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties. These collection centers seek items including shower and hygiene products, as well as clothing, shoes, sudoku/crossword books and reading glasses.
The VA Hospitals in Detroit and Ann Arbor provide care for approximately 118,000 of the roughly 300,000 veteran patients in Southeast Michigan. The items collected by MDCD will support veterans in the Hospitals’ homeless program and provide comfort items for those who are in-patient, organizers said.
The new Haulin’ for Heroes drive for veterans follows established MDCD collections programs including the Season of Giving, which benefits the Bottomless Toy Chest in Troy, and Truckloads of Hope, which supports Capuchin Soup Kitchen.
President of MDCD John Fox said the association of dealers is pleased to partner with the VA hospitals to support metro-Detroit veterans through this new campaign.
“It is a privilege for Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers to team up with our local VA hospitals through Haulin’ for Heroes to support the brave men and women who served our country,” Fox said. “An important part of the MDCD mission is to assist our communities where the need is great. To serve veterans with this new collection drive is especially meaningful as we remember the incredible sacrifices they made for our country’s continued freedom.”
The Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Local Marketing Association (LMA) comprises 38 Chevrolet dealerships in Southeastern Michigan. It is the MDCD mission to take an active role in local communities and to support the Metro Detroit area by featuring local events, venues, bands, charities and people in its marketing campaigns.
William Browning, Chief of Volunteer and Community Relations at the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, welcomes the assistance of Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers.
“The donation items for Haulin’ for Heroes are targeted to the practical needs of the veterans we have the honor of caring for,” Browning said. “We are grateful to have our heroes be the beneficiaries of this new Metro Detroit Chevy Dealer effort.”
Visitors to Metro Detroit Chevy Dealer showrooms are invited to place their donations in the Silverado replica bins. The following new items are needed most:
Body Wash
Shampoo
Deodorant
Nail Clippers
Razors
Shaving Cream
Combs
Hairbrushes
Toothpaste
Toothbrushes (IN ORIGINAL PACKAGING)
Non-Alcohol Mouth Wash
Men’s T-Shirts Size Med – 6X
Men’s Sweatpants Size Med – 6X
Men’s Sweatshirts Size Med – 6X
Men’s Briefs/Boxers Size Med – 3X
Hoodies Size Med – 3X
Women’s T-Shirts Size Med – 3X
Women’s Undergarments – All Sizes
Women’s Hygiene Items
Coats for winter and the current season Size Med – 6X
Flip Flops
Gym Shorts and Sweatpants Size Med – 6X
Tennis Shoes and Winter Books, size 8-15 (Common size is 10 and 10 1⁄2)
Reading Glasses – 1.50 strength and up
Word Searches/Crosswords/Sudoku (Larger Print)