Big year planned for W.H.E.A.T.

On Saturday, Jan. 4, W.H.E.A.T's Board of Directors met to discuss their December 2019 numbers and to also plan for the new year.

W.H.E.A.T. is a nonprofit based out of LaCrosse which sends out care packages to troops overseas.

During December, W.H.E.A.T. surpassed its goal of sending out 25 care packages by sending 28 boxes. The contents and postage were 100 percent donated by residents and businesses.

Along with sending out 28 care packages, the nonprofit supported 12 military units representing 264 servicemen and women.

"One of the deployed units is from Washington and two units are from Idaho," Lana Myers, co-founder of W.H.E.A.T. said.

"W.H.E.A.T. will continue to support these 12 units with frequent, high-quality and personalized care packages throughout their full deployment in 2020. We will adopt more troops in January 2020 as soon as additional donated goods and funds become available."

The servicemen and women who receive these packages serve in the Army, Marines, Navy and Air Force and are deployed in Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Norway, Qatar, South Korea and three undisclosed locations.

One short-term vision the board of directors plans for W.H.E.A.T. is to continue to lay the foundation in LaCrosse and Whitman County as they plan to carry out the mission statement long-term.

The mission statement is to boost the morale of troops deployed abroad through their full deployment with high quality, frequent care packages and handwritten letters.

Myers said in December they were able to send out a package on Dec. 30 to Qatar and that package was delivered five days later.

"The board's long-term vision is that W.H.E.A.T. will have a regional, then national presence in setting the gold-standard in supplying frequent, personalized, high-quality care packages to American troops deployed abroad," Myers said.

Myers added that they plan to average two care packages a day for a total of 730 packages within the year.

"Board members hope to partner with military bases, educational institutions, companies, community members, governmental institutions and others so that W.H.E.A.T. can fill its warehouse with high quality donated items," Myers said.

With plans of expanding their outreach, Myers said they hope to be able to fulfill soldier's specific requests within 24-hours of each request.

During the meeting, the board members expressed their gratitude to the support from the community.

"W.H.E.A.T.'s ability to serve our troops effectively is dependent on that continued support," Myers said.

How to help

Financial donations can be made at any branch of Banner Bank, Bank of Eastern Washington/Oregon or at a locked cash box at Carter Foods, Butch's Pastime Tavern in LaCrosse or Truly You Clothing & More in Colfax.

Frequently requested items by soldiers are baby wipes, protein/granola bars, nuts and jerky. These items can be donated at Startin's Repair and Cater Foods in LaCrosse.

Myers said if any business, school or organization would like to host a lockbox or donation box they may contact Roger Myers, President of W.H.E.A.T., at 509-830-7730 or email Lana Myers at [email protected].