By Julia Train
Getting a package with familiar and essential items from home boosts morale for military personnel deployed away from home.
Blue Star Mothers of America is a national organization of female relatives of military personnel who volunteer to send care packages to these heroes deployed for extended periods, especially during the holidays.
Although the name only lists mothers, the members aren’t just that. They’re also sisters, aunts, grandmothers and children.
The national nonprofit, which was started in 1942 during World War II at the Durant Hotel in Flint, Mich., spread across the country to include more than 200 chapters and about 6,000 members.
A local chapter, NJ5, which is located in Galloway, sends care packages to military members who are deployed during the holidays.
When they first started with the care packages, they sent out 100 boxes. Last year, they mailed 150 and are hoping to outdo that number with a goal of 175 this year.
Each year, members gather at the home of Co-Vice President Stephanie Chamberlain to put together the boxes, which are set to be finished and mailed on or around Nov. 18.
The 501(c)(3) also takes care of veterans in nursing homes on Veterans Day by putting together packages with food items (including lots of snacks), hygiene essentials and puzzle books. Sometimes they receive requests from family members or military personnel for specific items to be sent directly.
“If we have the money we will do any request we can. It’s all about the money. It’s not about time, we’ll find the time to do it. We’ll find the people to do it,” said Chamberlain.
NJ5, which is sponsored by Elks Lodge 2845, has more than 25 members serving South Jersey military families.
Throughout the year, the chapter has to raise funds to pay for the program through road cleanups (nonprofits are paid by the ACUA to participate), business donations, and money raised by selling items at local festivals and block parties. They also do coin drops at local stores.
“We do not get a break from the post office except for $1. So in years past, we have sent out a large flat-rate box full of food items, hygiene items… playing cards, whatever we can purchase that can be mailed out,” said Chamberlain. “We do mail out snacks, but in the last year and this year, we had to go to a medium-sized box because of cost… we take donations of money [and] items that are acceptable to be sent in the boxes per the Postal Service.”
Chamberlain, although born and raised in South Jersey, joined the chapter in 2017 after moving around for 30 years with her husband while he was in the Navy.
While traveling, she had always gravitated toward military groups, so this felt obvious.
Additionally, her two sons are part of the military as well; one was in the Army and the other a Navy captain.
“This has been my world,” Chamberlain said.
Julia is a student at Rider University, majoring in multiplatform journalism with a minor in social media strategies. At school, she writes and copy edits for The Rider News and is the News Director for the radio station, producing news updates. She’ll be graduating in the spring. Connect with her on Instagram @juliatrain
