Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Ann Jarvis, Executive Director of USO Fort Campbell/Nashville, who discusses the organization’s 85-year history of supporting military service members and their families through various programs and events. As a nonprofit, the organization provides morale-boosting activities and connects service members to resources and nonprofit partners through their 250 global locations, including their second-largest facility at Fort Campbell, which serves 400-500 service members daily. Ann, who leads a USO Fort Campbell/Nashville staff of five with numerous volunteers, oversees support across Kentucky, Tennessee, and Arkansas, with key centers at Fort Campbell, Nashville, and Little Rock. The organization runs various programs including care packages for deploying and returning service members, therapy dog visits, and music room access for service members, while also focusing on military youth with initiatives like the Month of the Military Child in April, which includes events like a military kid art show, a Military Kids Ball, and a mascot salute featuring corporate mascots.
Ann discusses Military Appreciation Month and Military Spouse Appreciation Day in May, and America 250 in July. She highlights the Coffee Connections program, a monthly event for military spouses to build community and learn about resources. Ann mentions plans for a 5K run in Nashville to raise funds, encouraging businesses and individuals to get involved.
Ann then highlights other USO programs, including Stuff the Trucks events with Kroger in Clarksville and Nashville, where community members can donate non-perishable items for service members. She details two types of care packages: “bye-bye bags” for deploying service members, which include small toiletries and non-perishable snacks (excluding chips), and larger “welcome home” bags containing essentials like toilet paper, and more substantial food items, like noodles, tuna, and utensils for service members returning at odd hours.
Ann shares some of her personal experience serving overseas, emphasizing the organization’s impact on military families. She encourages individuals to volunteer by visiting volunteers.uso.org, highlighting opportunities in various locations including Nashville, Fort Campbell, Little Rock, and Knoxville. Ann shares her own journey from volunteer to full-time employee, emphasizing the vital role of volunteers in supporting the USO’s programs and events. She highlights the USO’s need for in-kind donations and financial contributions to support their programs, and encourages viewers to visit their website for more information on how to get involved.
Visit https://fortcampbell.uso.org for more details and to get involved.
EVENTS
DONATE
