Our Focus

ALA Unit 1 in DC demonstrates our commitment to service for veterans, servicemembers, their families, and our community through programs broken up into the following areas:

 

Veteran and Servicemember Support

We provide practical and emotional support, as well as advocate for, veterans and servicemembers. In addition to sending care packages to deployed servicemembers, we have a focus on meeting the needs of homeless and at-risk veterans by donating boots during winter, Tide Pods to ensure veterans are able to wash their clothes, and feminine hygiene products. We also joined the other Auxiliary units in DC, as well as other service groups, to provide and wrap holiday gifts for the long-term hospitalized veterans at the DC VA Medical Center.

Additionally, our members lead a group of runners who are veterans and current servicemembers with Team Red, White, and Blue; assist veterans and current servicemembers with higher education needs; and volunteer with other similarly-focused organizations like American Women Veterans and Final Salute, Inc.

 

Family Support

We provide practical and emotional support to the families of stateside and deployed servicemembers and veterans. Examples include providing care packages to military families during deployments, assisting a veteran and his wife prepare their house for a new baby, and serving as career e-mentors for military spouses.

 

Youth Development

We promote the education programs and scholarships of the national organization. We also donate to the ALA’s national scholarship fund for children of veterans and servicemembers.

Additionally, our members have judged essay contests for military children and served as Girl Scout troop leaders.

 

Volunteering

We are committed to volunteering in our community and providing meaningful volunteer opportunities that serve veterans, servicemembers, and their families. Our members volunteer for National Days of Service for projects like hosting September 11th remembrance events, stuffing duffel bags for homeless veterans, and joining in efforts to make a million meal packs for the area’s underprivileged seniors. We have also volunteered to help greet Honor Flights coming into DC and have participated in suicide prevention education and awareness.