Supporting local military by sending holiday care packages is goal of grassroots organization

MERION STATION, Pa. - Volunteers with Philadelphia Treats for Troops packed about 100 care packages to send to U.S. soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen deployed overseas. Many of them are from right here in the Philadelphia area.

Organizer Fred Klevan said they always try to add a touch of home in each box. It could be Tastykakes or even a Kelly Green Eagles Jersey.

"A work colleague of mine, his son is deployed over somewhere in the Horn of Africa and I asked him if his son was an Eagles fan," said Klevan. "His name is Joe DeTorre and Joe is getting an AJ Brown jersey. We’re going to include it in his box."

Klevan and a core group of members started fundraising, collecting donations, packing and shipping care packages 17 years ago.

Klevan said it all started when he learned his former colleague was in the service.

"I read an article and it quoted a commander of that particular unit and he was an old friend of mine," said Klevan. "At the time he was Colonel John Gronski in Ramadi, Iraq and I said how can I help, John. He said send care packages. By sending care packages, it warms the heart of the soldiers and it helps boost morale."

Especially during the holiday season, volunteers want to let recipients know that people are thinking about them back home every single day.

Volunteer Jennifer Moritz and her son Ethan were packing bags of food to add to the boxes. Her husband retired from the Army Special Forces Green Beret after more than 20 years of service.

"As a family we’ve been through many deployments with him, and so it makes it extra special to be able to help with something like this because we know what it’s like when men and women are over there, especially for the holidays, and how nice it is to know that someone is thinking about them back home," said Moritz.

All kinds of food, treats, toiletries, hygiene products, blankets, candy, Christmas stockings and even handwritten notes from school-age children are lovingly packed into the boxes.

"Actually, my wife is a teacher. She’s a third-grade teacher in Levvittown," said Mike Munger. "Her kids put together some cards for the troops, and in particular, one of the kid’s fathers is deployed. His name is Mike Cox."

Munger said the third-grade class at Walt Disney Elementary are supporting the efforts and, in all, sending half a dozen boxes to their classmate’s dad.

Over the years, many service members have written back expressing their gratitude. Klevan has a wall of American flags, certificates of appreciation and deployment coins that were sent to the Philadelphia Treats for Troops since their grassroots effort started.

A big part of Klevan’s inspiration comes from his own father, World War II Veteran Morty Klevan of the Army Air Force.

"I guess I speak for everybody here, that in our small way we’re paying back a debt to our service members that give so much back to us and the sacrifices they make. But, it’s a debt that we can never, ever fully repay," said Klevan.

If you’d like to show your support to the Philadelphia Treats for Troops by making a donation or volunteering, visit their website.