Giving Back

  • Published
  • By SrA Russell Scalf
  • 49FW/PA
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  The Airman and Family Readiness Center is collecting donations for homeless veterans living in Alamogordo. They are hopeful that Holloman Airmen will help serve the veterans who served our nation. 

Mr. Cyrus Maxilom, a community readiness technician at the AFRC, is heading up the project. "This is the initial year of this program, and we are looking for some good Samaritans," he said. 

They are seeking donations of clean warm clothing, gloves, blankets, bedding, and non-perishable food items. 

The idea for the program was started when Ms. Shirley Bratton, director of the AFRC, asked what could be done to help local homeless veterans. 

"Fortunately someone will benefit from this," said Ms. Bratton. "We may see someone out on the street wearing these clothes." 

By collecting food and clothing, the AFRC hopes to have an immediate impact on homeless veterans living in the local community. These items are sure to help many individuals make it through an already cold winter. 

The donations are being collected at the AFRC, located in building 40, from now until Monday, Dec. 22. To help with the collection and distribution of items AFRC has teamed up with the House of Prayer, located in Alamogordo. On Dec. 22 all of the donations from Holloman will be taken to the House of Prayer and made available to those in need. 

"We chose to team up with the House of Prayer because of their prior experience working with the homeless," Maxilom said. "We needed to be able to make the donations available to people who don't have ID cards to get on base." 

Anyone wishing to volunteer as a squadron point of contact should set up a collection point, and have all items to the AFRC by Dec. 22. The AFRC can be reached at DSN 572-7754. "There are many less fortunate people, not necessarily by any fault of their own. We need to reach out and help those around us," Maxilom said. "The AFRC believes sharing is caring."