DeCA's industry partners support military-related charities through savings promotions

  • Published
  • By Sallie Cauthers
  • Defense Commissary Agency Public Affairs
FORT LEE, Va. (AFNS) --  The Defense Commissary Agency's network of industry partners is supporting several military-related charities with special savings promotions in June.

DeCA's industry partners, including manufacturers, suppliers and vendors, are donating a percentage of their proceeds from several products sold in commissaries to a few worthy causes.

"In this day and age, every little bit helps, whether it's funding a charitable military organization or donating in-kind goods for our military services' programs," said Chris Burns, DeCA's director of sales. "The commissary's industry partners certainly are doing their part to assist several of these programs."

Procter & Gamble, in partnership with the USO's Family Unit, is offering a coupon booklet. P&G will donate 25 cents for each coupon redeemed to the USO's Operation Enduring Care, a program that helps wounded warriors recover, spend quality time with their families and prepare for their transition back into the community. Customers can look for special "The Family Unit" displays in their local stores identifying participating name brands.

Commissary customers also will see S & K Sales and their manufacturers' displays and coupons for another promotion, "Project Healing Waters." A percentage of the proceeds will help raise money for an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization, which helps wounded veterans recover physically and emotionally by introducing or rebuilding the skills of fly fishing.

Bayer, GlaxoSmithKline, and Merck are sponsoring the "Adopt a Soldier" program, along with their broker, Overseas Service Corporation.

The promotion is designed to create in-store excitement with customer savings and help support the Soldiers' Angels Foundation, a volunteer nonprofit organization supporting the men and women of the armed forces and their families. For every dollar spent on participating products, the manufacturers will donate 5 cents to the "Soldiers' Angels Adopt a Soldier" program. Store signage will identify these special displays in June.

The Hershey Company will offer special pricing on participating products in its June promotion for the Fisher House Foundation. Fisher Houses allow the immediate families of service members receiving care in major military treatment facilities or Veterans Affairs medical centers to be near these patients while they are hospitalized.

"DeCA is proud of what its industry partners offer the military community," Mr. Burns said. "Giving back to the armed forces is their way of saying thank you for all the military does for our country."

Most commissaries will be participating, Mr. Burns said. Commissary customers should look for store displays for more details. Overseas stores may have substitute events for certain promotions.