Moving is stressful enough, but top that with a large percentage of the population in- and out-processing at the same time, and thus needing the same resources at the same time, and it can become a bit of a nightmare.
Several Fort Leavenworth organizations know about the challenges that come with PCS season, and they offer resources to help in the interim between when a family arrives and when their household goods are delivered.
ACS LOAN CLOSET
The Army Community Service Loan Closet offers basic kitchen kits and other items such as coffee makers, hand mixers and ironing boards on a first-come, first-served basis.
In- and out-processing active-duty military, retirees, Department of the Army civilians and their family members are eligible to borrow items from the loan closet for 30 days, which can be extended, if needed, especially for those coming from or going overseas.
Maj. Jamar Sherman, incoming Command and General Staff Officer Course student, was at the ACS Loan Closet July 19 returning items that he had borrowed, so others could use them, as his household goods were arriving that afternoon.
Sherman said he arrived on post July 1 and had quarters by July 5. He said his household goods had arrived even earlier, in mid-June, but due to the peak PCS season with so many families arriving around the same time, delivery was delayed until mid-July.
So, for the past month, he said his family has been eating their meals on a collapsible table from the loan closet. He said the day he was able to return the borrowed table, chairs and kitchen items to the loan closet was a happy one when his own items arrived.
“People say they really, really appreciate it, so we are glad of that,” said Gregory Bailey, Survivor Outreach Services coordinator, one of the ACS team members who helps patrons with the ACS Loan Closet. “Everybody uses it, all ranks. Everything is free. The only time there can be a cost to you is if you break it or you lose it.”
Reagan Sawyer, ACS Relocation Program manager, said the ACS Loan Closet offers items that families already have that they shouldn’t have to repurchase while they wait for their household goods.
“We never want anyone to go without,” Sawyer said. “We understand that we live a lot of our life in a hotel during PCS season, so this is just something that we can accommodate the families a little bit better, make them feel like it is a more home environment for them, even if they are still in Army lodging or at a hotel off post, (the loan) just gives them that comfort of home. They can cook, utilize services, and not feel like they are just waiting for their life to arrive through their household goods.”
The Army Community Service Loan Closet is located in the Resiliency Center at 600 Thomas Avenue. Call 913-684-2821/2800 for more information.
INTERNATIONAL LOAN CLOSET
International families are eligible to use the International Loan Closet, which offers items for them to borrow throughout the year they are at Fort Leavenworth.
Marianne Tennant, International Loan Closet coordinator, said items that international families request often include working adult and children’s bicycles with helmets, small kitchen appliances like blenders and mixers, hairdryers and other daily necessity-type items, and current working printers. She said flagpoles are also frequently requested, with many of the international families living on post wanting to fly both their countries’ flag and the U.S. flag.
Tennant said in addition to the yearlong loans for basic household and other necessary items, the International Loan Closet distributes seasonal items to the international families, including school supplies in August, coats and other winter gear in September, Halloween costumes in October and Christmas décor in December.
Lately, the International Loan Closet has been assisting with some ACS Loan Closet requests due to current high demand.
Capt. Julia Mack, incoming CGSC student, arrived at Fort Leavenworth about a month ago from Korea. She has been living in a hotel while waiting for quarters, which she said she had to obtain before being able to coordinate delivery of her household goods. Her household goods have been in storage for the past three years that she has been in Korea and aren’t scheduled to arrive at Fort Leavenworth until mid-August. Since the ACS Loan Closet had already loaned out most of its inventory by mid-July, Mack was at the International Loan Closet July 22 picking up a few essentials, such as plates, bowls and a kettle to heat water to make ramen noodles.
Mack said she donated a lot of her belongings before she left Korea, including a lot of the things she needs, but because of shipping timeframes, she still would not have had access to them now.
“It’s kind of like a Catch 22, because if I hold onto these (items), I save some money, but I still have to wait, so then you have to have something in the interim, like this place, that is going to help give you that capability that you would normally have,” Mack said. “Right now I’m trying to settle into a house that has a mattress in a box. I’ve been dual paying — staying in a hotel, trying to set up a house.”
The International Loan Closet is at 632 McClellan Avenue in the alley off of McClellan and Kearney avenues behind Root Hall. Hours vary and are posted outside the door and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/people/International-Loan-Closet-Fort-Leavenworth-KS/100064793946909/. For more information, contact Tennant at matennant3@gmail.com or 913-306-7184.
The International Loan Closet is intended to serve the families of international military students. Active-duty soldiers, retirees, National Guard and DoD civilians in need of supplies should visit the ACS Loan Closet first.
FORT LEAVENWORTH THRIFT SHOP
On July 18, Fort Leavenworth Thrift Shop Manager Mary Kendall was packaging small tool kits with nails, nuts, bolts and the like, as well as sorting out items such as washing machine feet that might be lost in a move in anticipation of arriving families needing such things.
The Thrift Shop offers the gamut of household goods, including a large selection of toys, which Kendall said makes the shop an essential stop for incoming families “because their toys are all in a box somewhere in a van, and they are all going crazy, and they have to come in to get something to keep the kids happy until (the moving van) gets here.”
Fort Leavenworth Thrift Shop Assistant Manager Astrid Davis said she agrees that the shop is a great resource for families with small children, as well as geographic bachelors — and anyone else who might be looking for a bargain.
“Check (with) us first. We might have a very slightly used item for a great price, and sometimes a brand new item for a great price,” she said, noting that the shop is a great resource for the community, “especially for the students who come in that are only going to be here one year — a lot of them come unaccompanied too — so they are just needing some small stuff to tide them over. They don’t have their household goods moved here, they just need (items) for a short time.”
The Thrift Shop offers an ever-rotating assortment of kitchen items, bedding, curtains and rods, luggage, décor, lamps, fans, sports/exercise equipment, furniture, pet carriers, seasonal items, books, gasoline cans, gardening tools, and men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, to include formal, maternity and sports and military uniforms, with daily 50 percent-off clothing sales on apparel that has been in the shop for several months.
“We get new stuff in every day. Our donations are very good. We get a lot of clothes that still have the original price on them,” Kendall said.
The shop’s proceeds go back to the community with grants awarded to organizations such as the Leavenworth Council on Aging, Deeper Window Association, Alliance Against Family Violence, English Language Support Course and the Fort Leavenworth Spouses’ Club scholarship program. The shop also sponsors an exam room at Saint Vincent Clinic — a doctor’s office at 818 N. 7th St. in Leavenworth that offers medical care for low-income, uninsured and underserved Leavenworth County residents — by buying yearly equipment and donating supplies such as crutches whenever received.
The Fort Leavenworth Thrift Shop is at 1025 Sheridan Avenue and is open 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, as well as the first Saturday of the month, with consignments taken until 12:30 p.m. Call 913-651-6768 for more information.
STRONGHOLD FOOD PANTRY
Monica Bassett, founder and chief executive officer of Stronghold Food Pantry, said that Stronghold can help provide some essential support during PCS season.
“PCS season, notorious for its chaos, complexity and financial strain, often coincides with the demands of back-to-school preparations, creating a perfect storm for families in transition. For military families facing these pressures, Stronghold offers a lifeline through its dedicated food pantry and comprehensive support services,” Bassett said. “Recognizing the diverse needs of military communities, Stronghold ensures that no family is left behind. Whether it's groceries to alleviate immediate financial burdens, basic necessities to ease the transition, or specialized events tailored to the unique challenges faced by military families, Stronghold is committed to providing the necessary assistance.”
Bassett said Stronghold is ready to help military families who need a little extra support during PCS season and beyond.
Appointments to visit Stronghold Food Pantry, located at 655 Biddle Boulevard, can be made at www.strongholdfoodpantry.org. For more information, visit the website or e-mail contact@strongholdfoodpantry.org.
MORE RESOURCES
Additional resources on post include:
• Outdoor Recreation Equipment Rental (913-684-3395, https://leavenworth.armymwr.com/programs/outdoor-recreation-equipment-rental)
Campers and other equipment for rent
• Household Hazardous Waste (913-684-8975/8977, by 810 McClellan Ave., https://home.army.mil/leavenworth/my-fort/all-services/environmental-management)
Free cleaning supplies, automotive products and other non-shippable items
• USDB Food Pantry, Justice Closet and other unit offerings of food, clothing and other necessities (Check with unit chaplains and/or leaders for information.)
• Family Life Chaplain (913-684-8997/2210, Pioneer Chapel, 500 Pope Ave., https://home.army.mil/leavenworth/my-fort/all-services/religious-services-organization)
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