EATON — Area charity Adam’s Hope is seeking donations to send overseas to U.S. troops deployed in combat. Donations may be dropped off at Summit Chiropractic (1338 N. Barron St.), with a deadline of 7 p.m. on Aug. 6.
Suggested items listed by Adam’s Hope include beef jerky, non-meltable candy, gum, Pringles, single serving powdered drink mixes, fruit gushers, nuts, protein bars, peanut butter, squirt guns, personal water fans, and cards, as well as everyday items such as toothpaste, disposable razors, shaving cream, shampoo, lotion, sunscreen (SPF 30 and up), lip balm, and Ziploc bags.
Adam’s Hope also advises people interested in donating to Google “items to send overseas.” Many websites including Military.com have comprehensive lists of items needed by deployed soldiers.
The organization is named for Cpl. Adam Jones of Germantown, who gave his life in service to his country on April 27, 2011 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, while participating in Operation Enduring Freedom with India Company, Third Battalion, Second Marine Regiment.
“Adam was deployed five times,” said his sister, Kelly Jones-Collins. “My mother sent numerous boxes to him, and he received so much that he was able to share with the other guys who didn’t have things.”
After his death, his mother, Carolyn Jones-Hibberd, and his sister, Kelly Jones-Collins, began sending care packages to other troops. Word of mouth spread, and it became a regular practice. Five years later, Adam’s Hope now sends an average of 40 to 50 boxes a month to “Afghanistan, Romania, Iraq — wherever they’re deployed,” said Jones-Collins.
“A lot of Americans think our troops get everything they need when they’re sent away,” said Jones-Collins, “and I had no idea. They don’t get a lot of the things that you would think they should get. We send a lot more than just food. We send a lot of pillows — a lot of guys don’t get pillows. We send coffee makers, coffee, creamer, sugar. We got a big case of chill towels, and we’ve been sending those out because it’s so hot over there right now. Anything they ask for, if we can send it, we do.”
Shipping accrues major expenses, she said; $80 was recently spent to ship a $60 microwave, and a box of Kraft Easy Mac, jerkey, cookies, and chips sent last week was mailed at a cost of $75. Adam’s Hope manages these tasks through PayPal donations made through AdamsHope.com as well as contributions from area businesses and organizations. Jones-Collins named Reynolds & Reynolds as a longtime community partner.
“Learning what my brother went without overseas was really eye opening for me,” she said. “I’ve learned not to take things for granted — so when they ask for a microwave, it’s not a big deal to me. I think of him going away five times, and I wish I’d sent him more. He was in the middle of Afghanistan, and I didn’t know he didn’t have a pillow. It was an eye opener.”
“Adam loved his country,” she said. “He was very generous — he’d give you anything he had, so we do this because of the sacrifices our soldiers make for us, and because of my brother, who gave all. His memory lives on through all of this. It’s a blessing that we’ve been able to do this.”
