FORT BUCHANAN, PUERTO RICO – Members of the Fort Buchanan Religious Support Office (RSO), the Directorate of Family, Welfare and Recreation, in collaboration with community partners, distributed nearly 400 grocery bags, Nov. 14 to assist Soldiers, civilians, and their families affected by the federal government shutdown.
"We are partnering with Comedor de la Kennedy, a local non-profit organization, to provide non-perishable groceries to the community. Last Friday, we also distributed another 400 grocery bags," said Maj. Joseph Okpe, the installation chaplain.
According to Okpe, the goal is to deliver groceries every Friday until federal employees receive their pay again.
"This is how we take care of each other. Here, we are a community. We know people have gone through a lot. This is our leadership's way of appreciating their sacrifice and taking action to help," added Okpe.
The Fort Buchanan RSO also manages Operation Helping Hand, which supports Soldiers throughout the year with various financial needs. Through this program, Soldiers can receive up to $50 in commissary gift cards to help offset food expenses during financial emergencies.
"We have provided nearly $3,000 worth of gift cards during the one month of the shutdown. That is the highest amount we have ever given out. Additionally, we partner with the Fort Buchanan commissary and other organizations to support our community," said Okpe.
In addition to the services offered by the RSO, the installation’s Army Community Services (ACS) provides a variety of programs and resources for Service Members, their families, retirees, and Department of Defense civilians across the island. These resources include the Army Emergency Relief, the Army Family Action Plan, and Army Family Team Building, among others.
To contact Fort Buchanan's ACS, call 787-707-3804. To reach the installation RSO, call 787-707-4008.
With an annual budget of nearly $500 million, Fort Buchanan supports a military community of approximately 15,000 active duty, Reserve, National Guard, Marine Corps Reserve, and Navy Reserve personnel. The mission of Fort Buchanan is to enhance readiness and facilitate the deployment of military personnel anywhere, anytime.
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