Non-profit Organization Adopts 2,500 Deployed Troops in Iraq & Afghanistan to Send HeroBoxes

June 10, 2009 - PRLog -- ATLANTA, GA. –  What started as one man sending his deployed brother a care package to Iraq, has now turned into an adoption agency for over 2500 deployed US military forces in Iraq & Afghanistan.   The Peachtree City based non-profit organization HeroBox began with Ryan Housely sending care packages to his brother, US Army Specialist Evan Housely.  Ryan put up a simple web page to note special requests from Evan and other soldiers in his brother’s unit.  As word spread, the demand outweighed the supply and the little web page soon became a non-profit organization: HeroBox.

HeroBox, is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the troops by sending custom care packages to deployed men and women overseas that are customized to each person’s specific request.    With 52,000 U.S. Troops currently deployed to Afghanistan and the number rising to 68,000 by the end of the year, soldiers are still in need of feeling support and love from American civilians they’re protecting.  Soldier James Lesco said, "This is my third deployment and it seems that support from the home front has dwindled.   It’s refreshing to see that there are still groups like Hero Box are here to support us."

HeroBox currently houses 2500 soldiers in their database, all awaiting a care package.  The organization is powered by volunteers across the nation to supply care packages to those soldiers.  “Our mission is to provide troops with whatever they need to keep morale high while they serve and protect our country abroad,” says Founder Ryan Housely.   “Right now, we have 200 citizen sponsors that have adopted soldiers, and we need more to cover all 2500 heroes.”  Corporate businesses, schools, churches, and families have all adopted soldiers to send thousands of boxes overseas.   An individual HeroBox can be sent for $25 that includes goods, materials, and shipping costs.  With the high demand for care packages HeroBox also seeks monetary and item donations to provide HeroBoxes to soldiers who have not been otherwise sponsored or adopted by area residents.  

Programs such as Hero Day and Mini-Heroes give civilians around the nation the chance to give back without a long-term commitment.  Each month, HeroBox holds “Hero Day” where volunteers donate needed items, pack, and ship HeroBoxes to soldiers who have not yet been adopted.  Volunteers from all over the nation have the opportunity to host Hero Day to rally their community in support of deployed military forces.  

As a home town hero himself, Ryan has been taped by People Magazine in the “All Stars Among Us” contest featuring two other philanthropic leaders.  To vote for Ryan & HeroBox in the People Magazine “All Stars Among Us” visit www.peopleallstars.com.

For more information about HeroBox and how you can get involved, visit www.herobox.org. Add HeroBox to your network on MySpace, LinkedIn, Twitter, Flickr, Youtube, and adopt the HeroBox Cause to your Facebook profile.