FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 30, 2019

Contact: Jesus Ruiz, (562) 908-8381

CUDAHY DISTRICT OFFICE SHOWS APPRECIATION TO OVERSEAS MILITARY PERSONNEL

Throughout the month of May, the nation will give thanks to members of the United States Armed Forces as part of the observance for National Military Appreciation Month (NMAM).

This year, the Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) Cudahy District Office went beyond the call of duty to show their appreciation with a drive that began in December 2018 to collect items for care packages for 100 military personnel serving overseas.

Cudahy staff met their goal by collecting an array of donations ranging from prepackaged cookies to lip balm, which are highly desirable items for deployed military personnel. However, identifying a local entity who would partner with the office to ship the packages oversees became a tremendous challenge.

“We quickly learned that many organizations in the county that engage in this cause are grassroots agencies, who often do not promote the good work they do in the community to aid our military personnel,” said Cudahy Office Director Elizabeth Huezo.

The Cudahy office sought the help from the County of Los Angeles Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to find an agency that would assist in delivering the care packages overseas. Military Affairs connected the Cudahy office with the March Air Reserve Base Family Readiness Center in Riverside County.

On April 18, 2019, U.S. Army officers Moore and Ramos traveled to the Cudahy office to pick up the care packages, one of several stops to collect donations for service members.

Huezo said the office will continue its efforts to provide military care packages and issued a friendly challenge to her peers in DPSS to come together with Cudahy to “collect donations for our troops to show them that they have not been forgotten.”

Huezo wants to make the care package distribution to military personnel serving overseas an annual tradition. For more information on veteran services, please visit the DPSS Veterans & U.S. Military Resources page on the DPSS website.