Since Purple Heart Family Support began in 2007, our volunteers have served over 6,000 meals to Wounded Warriors and their family members. The program began in early 2007 at Bethesda Naval Hospital, and in December 2008, the Wounded Warrior Barracks of Naval Medical Center San Diego, CA (a/k/a “Balboa”) was added and volunteers began serving meals on our behalf. Purple Heart Family Support numbers have grown each year with 1,220 meals being served in 2007 to that number more than doubling in 2009 with 2,880 meals served.

Purple Heart Family Support volunteers truly treasure the time they get to spend reminding our Wounded Warriors that they are appreciated and remembered. West Coast manager, Joyce, confessed, “I may have to come home every week, but my heart remains there.” The meals we provide always bring great joy and fellowship to our young men and women, and they rarely turn down a chance to thank us. “What your organization brings to the barracks is…important,” said one Wounded Warrior. “You are there every week. We know and love you guys, and you bring that touch of home to us all. You're all our parents away from home.”

We look forward to continue bringing that “touch of home” to our Wounded Warriors, and to expanding our program in the future. We are currently working to provide at least 600 meals a month to the hospitals we are now connected with in addition to bringing 600 meals a month to a new location: Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. The assistance of our generous sponsors and volunteers helps alleviate the costs of labor and meals, however, Purple Heart Family Support still spent close to $46,000 to fund the program. If you would like to make a donation to our Purple Heart Family Support Meal program, feel free to visit our donations page, or if you know a business that would be willing to sponsor a meal, use the link to the left to contact us.