Written by Mary Gadberry
December 19, 2023 – Thursday, December 14th, five women from the Fresno-Yosemite chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution assisted volunteers at the VA Hospital with their annual “Duffle Shuffle”, stuffing backpacks for homeless veterans.
Donations were received from various social service agencies and volunteers in the area, which included hand-knitted hats, fleece scarves and throws, socks, and refillable water bottles with the VA logo.
490 new backpacks were filled with a fleece throw, a water bottle, a deck of playing cards, puzzle books, a hand-knitted hat, a pair of socks, toiletries, a rain poncho, craft kits, a flashlight, a bag of snack food, and blank Christmas cards with a handmade cork reindeer.
The reindeer are created each year by a group of women from the Fresno-Yosemite chapter, starting in September. This year, about 2,200 reindeer were crafted for distribution in the VA hospital for inpatients, for homeless veterans, for veterans on the Honor Flights, and for veterans who reside in the Veterans Home here in Fresno, in addition to a local care facility.
The Fresno-Yosemite Daughters participate in many projects for veterans, including HomeFront, a transitional housing program for women veterans and their children, Honor Flight, and the Veterans Day parade.
Some other projects the Daughters are involved in are awarding scholarships to high school seniors through the Good Citizen program, sending seasonal cards to active military members, and various educational and literary programs for both children and adults.
For more information on Daughters of the American Revolution, contact FresnoYosemiteDaughters@gmail.com.
There are many volunteer opportunities within the VA Hospital as well, and more information can be found by calling the VAVS (Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service) office at (559) 228-5385.