In The News

Truckers for Troops® raises more than $52,000 for care packages

Still plenty of time to send cards and letters, addresses to OOIDA

(Grain Valley, Mo., Nov. 20, 2014) – The final results have been tallied! The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association’s eighth annual Truckers for Troops® care package campaign raised a total of $52,528 to pack and send care packages to service personnel stationed in combat zones.
 
The fundraising effort took place the week of Nov. 10, the same week as Veteran’s Day, and had a generous start with a donation of $5,000 from Shell Rotella. The Association is currently also seeking addresses for sending packages and accepting personal cards or letters to include inside the packages.
 
“We thank our members for making it all possible and hope they continue to follow updates on social media,” said Norita Taylor, Media Spokesperson for OOIDA. The first shipments will go out mid-January 2015. Often times, recipients post photos and notes of thanks to the Truckers for Troops Facebook page.
 
Taylor also said that cards and letters are starting to arrive, but that there is plenty of room for more.
 
“Each year we receive handmade cards or letters from a variety of groups and individuals. They add that personal touch to the packages,” said Taylor.
 
An OOIDA tradition since 2007, the Truckers for Troops effort has now raised more than $458,500. Over the years, the Association has sent more than 2,500 care packages to nearly 30,000 military personnel. The care packages have been known to weigh as much as 70 pounds each and contain everything from necessities such as socks to fun stuff like Silly String.
 
PACKAGE ADDRESSES
Anyone who has a family member or friend serving in a war zone with the U.S. military, and who would like for them to get a care package, can send the name and complete address to [email protected].
 
CARDS AND LETTERS
Attention: Truckers for Troops, P.O. Box 1000, Grain Valley, MO 64029. Towns or school names can be included, but please do not include last names or other personal information. No particular theme and not necessarily Christmas. Packages will likely go out after the holidays in January or February.
 
BACKGROUND
During Truckers for Troops week, a broadcast is planned for each day on OOIDA’s “Land Line Now” satellite radio show on Sirius XM 146. During that week, truckers can join OOIDA or renew their membership for $35, with 10 percent of that money going toward care packages for U.S. troops stationed in combat areas overseas. OOIDA matches the 10 percent dollar for dollar. Only memberships during the campaign dates will go toward the Truckers for Troops fund. Individual tax-deductible contributions to the Truckers for Troops fund are also welcome and can be paid to the OOIDA Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.
 
The Association campaign is now officially over, although donations are always welcome throughout the year.
 
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is the only national trade association representing the interests of small-business trucking professionals and professional truck drivers. The Association currently has more than 150,000 members nationwide. OOIDA was established in 1973 and is headquartered in the Greater Kansas City, Mo., area.