GREENVILLE, N.C. - Since 2004 the North Carolina branch of Give2TheTroops has been sending care packages to our military men and women overseas, helping them feel more at home and now, the operation has a new home themselves.
Since August the group has been working to find a new location after the company building they were stationed in needed the space to expand.
Less than five months after they first learned of the move, Give2TheTroops put on their grand opening at their new facility in Ayden.
For Barbara Whitehead, Director of the North Carolina give to the troops, this day is a long time coming.
"When you think about where we've come from and all the sacrifices our young people have made, I would have never foreseen this in 2004," said Whitehead.
In 2004, Give2TheTroops was operating out of a Copy Pro office in Greenville. After seven years and a new location, they're still going strong.
"Everything is unpacked, organized and labeled; we are ready to start packing care packages," said Whitehead.
That's more than 400 care packages a month, making them the largest Give2TheTroops group in the nation.
Each package filled with at least 60 items like toiletries, ramen noodles, candy, coffee and letters from home.
With their new facility in Ayden, Barbara says they'll be sending more packages than ever before.
"We had veterans, active duty military and Grifton ministries in here building our shelves and helping get everything exactly the way it was supposed to be," said Whitehead.
For Ayden Mayor Pro-Tem Donald Skinner, it's a win for the troops overseas and the community at home.
"This was a vacant building and when you get something to come into a vacant building and do what they've done, it's just a great feeling," said Skinner.
You can help out the Give2TheTroops program with donations of items or your time.
They're open Tuesdays and Thursday afternoons, along with Saturday mornings.
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