Game Changers McTX, a nonprofit veteran organization, is conducting the Operation RGV Cares “Christmas for the Troops” donation drive for active-duty members of the military.
The nonprofit provides support to veterans and active-duty members spiritually, physically, emotionally and financially.
The drive opened Oct. 1 and will end Nov. 27.
Several UTRGV departments on the Edinburg and Brownsville campuses will support the effort, serving as drop sites for items.
These departments are Human Development and School Services, School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling, Military and Veteran Success Center, and Veterans Upward Bound.
Operation RGV Cares is seeking personal hygiene items and will accept monetary donations. Other items include greeting cards, envelopes, composition books, pens, pocket Bibles and moist towelettes.
“We have to remember that these service men and women don’t have Walmarts, they don’t have Kmarts, they don’t have stores that they can go in and get these things, you know. They depend on us to support them,” said Amencio “Alex” Almanza, president and co-founder of Game Changers McTX.
Almanza said this is the fourth year the organization conducts the drive and invite the community to help out.
He said care packages serve as a bridge between the service men at war and the world they left behind.
“It brings them a little piece of comfort, it brings them joy, especially during the Christmas holidays,” Almanza said, “because, you know, it’s one thing to receive care packages from somebody that you know, and it’s another thing to receive a care package from a stranger. It makes you feel appreciated, it makes you feel supported.”
He believes the organization is important to people because it was created out of a need. “Game changer” means a person or an entity that brings improvement to a system that is already in place, Almanza said.
“So, based on that, what we’re trying to improve is services to our veterans,” he said. “Many of our veterans have lost faith, they have lost trust in our [Veterans Affairs] medical system. They don’t want to go to the VA to seek help for [post-traumatic stress disorder]. So, we provide both services for free. The good thing about us is that we don’t play veterans. We are veterans, so we know.”
Lizette McNain, a Veterans Upward Bound student development specialist, said Game Changers is needed.
“[Troops] do so much for us, and I think it’s time for us to give back when we can,” McNain said.
Elda Arriaga, assistant director of the Military and Veteran Success Center, said the event is a great opportunity for the university community to be engaged in supporting the troops.
“Some of our troops are local troops, so we have a lot of students getting activated to different areas around the world, so it’s good to see the community come together,” Arriaga said. “And us as a site, we do support our service members on a yearly basis but to come in a different aspect and get support from the university community is something that we pride ourselves for any type of event just like this.”
This is the second year that the Department of Human Development and School Services has had a drop box for donations.
“We think it’s a great opportunity for people to help this cause,” said Nancy Razo, program coordinator for School Psychology.
