Operation Adopt A Soldier, which is providing free comfort kits to U.S. military personnel, resumed limited operations on Thursday in order to replenish supplies.
Cliff Seguin, founder and chairman of the organization, said the shelves are empty.
“We’re out of everything because we suspended our material donation collection as soon as the severity of the coronavirus was evident. We did it to protect our volunteers, the always generous general public and our great corporate helpers. We’re just going to rebuild again, something we’re all too familiar with,” he said in a news release.
Adopt A Soldier is operating out of temporary space donated by Wilton businessman Richard Woodcock at 891 Saratoga Road since its headquarters was destroyed in an accidental fire in late summer 2019.
Operations had been suspended since early March.
Volunteers will be at the headquarters near the intersection of Route 9 and Ballard Road every Thursday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon to accept material and monetary donations.
Protocols will be strictly enforced, including having a limited number of volunteers on hand and wearing protective gear such as masks and gloves. Social distancing must be maintained and volunteers will remove items from vehicles, according to a news release.
For extra security, donors are asked to wear masks and other gear that makes them most comfortable with venturing outside of their homes or businesses. Drivers should proceed around the building to the rear entrance.
A list of needed items is posted on the group’s website at www.operationadoptasoldier.org.
Tax-deductible monetary donations are used to purchase some products and pay postage costs of $12 per box.
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