Concord Students Give Back: Care Packages for the Military

Tyler Coy collects as much as he can for each single care package
Photo By  Cassidy Justice

Tyler Coy is planning a military drive for our troops and needs all the help he can get. “We are planning care packages for deployed soldiers. It helps boost morale by not only giving them their essentials but to send them snacks and other things that are just nice to have while away from the comfort of home. Some guys are not fortunate enough to have people to send them care packages while deployed so that’s what we are stepping up to do,” Coy states. 

“It is important that we all contribute what we can to the people who fight for our rights,” Coy says. With this military drive, all students and Concord’s faculty and staff have the opportunity to do just that.

Since our soldiers are far away from their homes, families and friends, simple items can really go a long way. Some items they are looking for include “Coffee, shower shoes, personal hygiene items, protein, any non-perishable snacks, letters to support them,” Coy states.

For the next two weeks, students can bring the items they are donating to Tyler Coy. He will be boxing the items and shipping them to their location.

“We hope to boost their morale and let them know that they have people that support and appreciate them back home,” Coy states.

These care packages have helped one of our very own veterans, Steven Kennedy. 

“I was a 25U (25 uniform) and I worked on radios and computers. Basically internet connectivity, downloading new software on computers, ensuring all radios worked in case of a deployment,” Kennedy says. 

He was stationed in Camp Casey in Korea from 2013 to 2014 and care packages most certainly helped when he was overseas.

“They [care packages] were amazing! Especially overseas because you’re already far away from your family and depressed, so just knowing that someone cares is an amazing feeling,” Kennedy says. 

“Around Christmas time an elementary school sent us cards and small gifts for Christmas and each kid sent a card to one soldier with a personal message and it was just really something that touched you in a positive way,” says Kennedy. 

A personal experience for Kennedy shows what a difference a care package can make to someone who is thousands of miles away from everything they once knew. With the help of faculty and staff and our student body, we can come together and make a difference for our soldiers.