The Triangle-based non-profit Support Military Spouses is honoring the “other halves” of active duty soldiers with shoe boxes of appreciation in honor of Military Spouse Appreciation Day. Three thousand shoe boxes will be filled with donated items that include watches, stationery, bibles, jewelry and lotion. Organization co-founder Diane Rumley says for this campaign, they've also included a guide to "Worry Free Living" that has tips on saving money and finding jobs. She says the unemployment rate among military spouses is about 28 percent.
“We do understand that they really are the heroes on the homefront, “ Rumley says. “That they keep the home fires burning while their loved one is serving, and that we see them as just as much a part of the military and make as many sacrifices as their spouse does for all the freedoms that we enjoy.”
The box also contains a list of pro-military employers. Companies that are more likely to hire people with military connections include Pensky, AT&T, Walmart, and Enterprise Rent-A-Car, which is named after the Navy ship, the USS Enterprise.
Spouses can register to get one of the gift boxes through Wednesday at the Support Military Spouses website.