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FORT BLISS, Texas - Thanksgiving isn’t just a time to bake pumpkin pies, eat turkey and gain an extra ten pounds. It is a time of year when many soldiers express their gratitude and appreciation for all that has been bestowed upon them.
While some soldiers often travel hundreds of miles to visit family during this season and share in holiday cooking festivities, other soldiers aren’t able the same opportunities to enjoy in this great celebration.
Each year the Army Community Service sponsors a Thanksgiving Assistance Program which provides supplemental assistance to soldiers and family members who are less fortunate and in need. These Soldiers may not have the financial means to provide an elaborate holiday meal for their families.
Personal Financial Readiness Specialist, Zenaidia Gutierrez, has been employed with ACS for nearly 15 years. This is her first year assigned to the project.
“It [Thanksgiving Assistance Program] allows for soldiers to provide for their families, said Gutierrez.
Nearly $8,000 was generated to distribute food vouchers for 400 soldiers.
“The money that the program receives is donated by soldiers,” said Gutierrez. “Deciding which soldiers should receive assistance is very difficult”.
Gutierrez stated that when soldiers donate and give back, they enable programs such as this to exist.
This enables families to purchase food items from the commissary such as turkey, ham, side dishes and pies to enhance their Thanksgiving meal.
“It’s an excellent program to help needy families,” added Anna Hernandez, a Personal Financial Readiness specialist who has been employed with ACS for 4 years. “Army Community Service received an enormous amount of requests this year for the Thanksgiving Assistance Program”, said Hernandez.
This year, Gutierrez said that ACS received nearly 1,500 applications and deciding which soldiers would receive supplemental assistance was a complicated process.
The amount of applications that were received represents the great influx of soldiers to Fort Bliss, which shows the possible need for more money the upcoming year.
The main objective of the Thanksgiving Assistance Program is to help those who are in the most need. Gutierrez added that taking care of lower enlisted is their first priority.
The goal at ACS is to enhance soldier’s lives. Being a single parent and prior enlisted, Gutierrez added that she understand the hardships and is always willing and available to assist soldiers in need.
| Date Taken: | 11.19.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 11.23.2010 14:36 |
| Story ID: | 60740 |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 23 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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