Volunteers with USO help local military families in need

Jacksonville, Fla. — Dozens of our local military families are having to turn to food banks for help just to get basic needs to feed their loved ones.

Action News Jax reporter Alicia Tarancon was at the USO of Greater Jacksonville on Mayport Road and showed us how local volunteers are stepping up to help military families in need.

Carmel and her husband Jim Reed have been volunteering with the USO for over a decade. Jim is a veteran that served for more than 45 years in the military.

“I when I got out of basic training I spent my first night at the USO in Sacramento and loved what they were doing and said if I ever get the opportunity I’m going to pay it back,” Jim Reed said.

It’s one of the reasons the couple came out to help the military families struggling during the pandemic. They are packing these boxes for the USO of Greater Jacksonville’s Healthy Military Families Initiative.

On Tuesday, the boxes were being packed full of nutritious meals by volunteers that will help these families make healthy meals; tomorrow 70 boxes are going to military families in need.

The USO told Action News Jax the goal is not only to get these families back on their feet but to make sure they can sustain themselves on their own.

Normally the USO helps around 140 families a month with this program but because of the pandemic the need is much greater.

“The USO has been providing a tremendous amount of food to navy families and army families in the area and it’s a good thing, it helps out the lower ranking people to get by month to month,” Jim said.

In fact the Department of Defense estimates that the jobless rate for military spouses is 22%.

The Reed told Action News Jax they’re a both glad they can help out in any way possible and to see how the grateful the families are.

“You see a lot of moms that will come in with a couple of children and they’re just really pleased,” Carmel Reed said.

The food distribution is on Wednesday from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. and it’s only for those who are enrolled in the program.

In order to apply for the program you’ll have to fill out an application with the USO.

If you would like more information on how to get help from the USO of Greater Jacksonville you can click HERE.

Cox Media Group